My Brother, Be Happy
by Akiboshi
Summary: In this kingdom, a pair of twins were separated for the sake of the kingdom. Despite the hardships, Hikaru continues to live his life in hopes of becoming a great King for his brother, Kaoru. However, in order for that to be done, sacrifices needed to be made. Hikaru's side of the story My Prince, Please Smile. Loosely based off of Story of Evil.
1. Chapter 1

"But I'm telling you, I didn't take a cookie from the kitchen!"

I thrashed around in the grip of the head chef as he dragged me outside by my ear. A few minutes ago, my stomach kept growling at me, so I was going to grab a snack with the permission of Chef Richard. For some reason, he believed that I already took some sweets before dinner time even though I haven't been in the kitchen at all today.

Despite my constant protesting, he shook his head and scolded me. Even though I was the crown prince, he was allowed to lecture me since I was still a child. It's stupid that all the adults here think they know everything when really, they don't. When I was pushed outside, I grumbled to myself then started walking.

"_Some birthday this is turning out to be. I haven't seen Kaoru all day."_

As soon as I thought that, I froze in my steps. A low growl escaped my lips now that I realized something. I began sprinting down the hall to the garden where I knew my brother would be. Soon enough, I arrived at the place where my brother sat with his body in my direction.

"Kaoru!"

I ran over to him with an annoyed look on my face, but he remained smiling at me. The happy expression on his face made me more suspicious of him.

"Hikaru."

"Did you steal a cookie from the kitchen?"

He looked at me with an innocent expression. That confirmed to me that he was guilty and wanted to see me more frustrated. Sometimes I hated when he does this to me, but I can't complain since I sometimes do the same to him. Since we were twin brothers, it was easy for one twin to take the blame for the other's action. It made me feel bad that I'm the one that usually got him into trouble. What makes me feel worse is that he doesn't mind doing that for me. He should at least be angry once in a while.

"Now, why would I do that?"

"I don't know, but for some reason, Chef Richard won't let me into the kitchen cause he said he saw me steal a cookie! And I wasn't even planning on doing that today!"

That last part was actually a lie. My brother was a big fan of sweets, so I was thinking of stealing some cookies for us to eat after dinner.

"What kind of cookie was stolen?"

"How should I know? I didn't do it."

"Well, I didn't steal a cookie either...I took two."

When I heard him mumble that last part, I sighed loudly. He must have gotten hungry to waiting for dinner but he could have at least be more discreet about it.

"Kaoru! You could have saved one for me."

I couldn't help but pout which made him gently pat my head with a small laugh. Suddenly, he held out a cookie in his other hand in front of my face. This instantly made me feel better as a wide smile spread through my lips.

"Better."

I grabbed the cookie from his hand and quickly ate it. My hunger wasn't fully satisfied, but I wasn't complaining.

"Hikaru, I got something for you."

The cookie was gone once he said that but my smile still remained in its place.

"Really? You didn't have to you know."

His lips curved into a smile as the arm around his back fidget a little. I wanted to take a peek, but I stopped myself since I needed to be patient.

"I wanted to though, so close your eyes."

"Uh, okay."

I closed my eyes and waited for something to happen. When nothing happened, I wondered if Kaoru was just playing another trick on me.

"Okay, open your eyes."

My eyes opened and I stared back at my brother. When he continued to look at me, I was starting to think that this was another joke after all.

"Now what?"

"What do you mean?"

I held in a sigh of annoyance. He really wanted to test my patience today.

"You did something so that's why I had to close my eyes right?"

"I wonder."

A growl almost escaped my lips when he said that.

"Kaoru!"

"Yes?"

I was about to tackle him down to the ground but sighed in defeat instead. Whenever he smiled, I was completely powerless. When I looked down a little, a white object fell onto my lap. I instantly recognized it as a rose.

"Oh, how pretty."

The rose looked delicate in my eyes, so I cupped my hands together then scooped up the flower into my palms. My sense of touch told me that it was made from paper, so I'm guessing Kaoru must have been trying to fold the paper into this shape all day. That thought made me smile as my eyes turned back to him.

"Thank you Kaoru."

"You're very welcome."

"I didn't get anything for you though."

Once I realized that, I frowned. As the older brother, I should be the one to take care of him.

"No it's alright, your smile is all I need to make my day. So, could you please smile for me?"

His eyes held so much love in them that I couldn't argue with him. He was much more caring than a person should ever be. I was very lucky to have a sibling like Kaoru. A smile returned to my face as I held onto the rose carefully.

"Make sure not to lose it alright? It took a lot of experimenting to get it the way it is now. If you misplace it, then I'm going to make sure that you're banned from the kitchen forever alright?"

Was he threatening me or trying to be funny? What an interesting guy my brother is.

"Kaoru!"

"I'm kidding."

He chuckled and patted my head before looking up at the sky. I did the same for a moment before looking at the rose in my hand. I really hope that we could stay together forever like this.

"Hey Kaoru."

"Yes?"

"No matter what happens, we'll always be together right?"

"Right."

His quick response to my question made me happy. However, I had to make sure that he would keep his promise, so I decided to do a childish thing.

"Pinky Promise?"

I held out my pinky to him and he intertwined his with my own without another thought.

"Pinky Promise."

The two of us shared a smile. To another person, it probably looked the same. In my mind,

Kaoru's smile shines like no other star in the sky.

"Oh yah, ha-"

"-There they are!"

We both turned our heads to the direction of the sudden voice to see one of the stupid advisors at the garden entrance. With him were a few intimidating guards that were looking at our direction. After a moment, the advisor pointed a finger at me.

"That's him."

Suddenly, one of the guards came over, grabbed my hand, and started pulling me away from my brother. If he thought I was just going to let him take me, he was dead wrong.

"Let go of me!"

I stepped on the soldier's foot and broke out of his grip before going back to Kaoru's side. His eyes were starting to water as we held onto each other's hands for comfort.

"Hikaru, what's happening?"

My heart was beating rapidly and my palms were getting sweaty. I didn't know what was going to happen to us and that made me scared.

"What are you standing around for? Go get him!"

"I don't know Kaoru."

I held onto my brother's hand tighter when the guards came after us again. Despite my kicks and punches, they were still stronger than me. One of the guards wrapped an arm around me before pulling me away while another did the same to my brother. I gritted my teeth and tried to hold on but we were torn apart.

"Let me go! What is the meaning of this!"

My eyes were getting blurry as I fought to get out of the soldier's grasp. Kaoru held his hand out to me as I was forced further away from him.

"Hikaru!"

We were both dragged out of the garden by the guards, but we went opposite directions. I growled in frustration as I struggled harder to free myself. However, as hard as I tried, I couldn't get out. When I realized that it was no use, I yelled for my brother, my other half, that was being taken from me.

After a few moments, I was pushed into my room. As soon as I was inside, the door was closed then followed after with a clicking sound. I tried turning the knob but it didn't budge. My hands balled up into a fists.

"Let me out of here!"

I banged my hands against my bedroom door and continued to yell. To my dismay, no one answered the door no matter how hard I scream. I looked around my room while coming up a plan to escape. Kaoru and I have been together every since we were little. We were inseparable and I wasn't about to let someone take him away from me.

When I went over to the balcony, I scanned the area then saw vines growing on the wall beside me. I took a chance and grabbed them before climbing down. Thankfully, the plants were more stable than I imagined so they safely led me onto the ground.

I then sprinted to the horse stables where they had to go to in order to leave the castle. Once I arrived at my destination, I saw Kaoru carried into a carriage with a few other guards. Before I was able to run to him, my arm was grabbed from behind.

"No! Let go!"

Another guard came to my side and held my other arm so that I wouldn't fight back. I growled and tried to kick the guard's shin but it was no use. They made sure to keep their distance away from me.

"Prince Hikaru, behave yourself!"

The same advisor from before arrived at the stables with his hands crossed over his chest. His sudden appearance made me want to attack him. He obviously had something to do with this situation.

"You better have a good explanation for trying to separate me from my brother."

His expression stayed strict, but I thought I saw a flicker in his eyes that showed a different emotion he was feeling.

"For the sake of the kingdom, we felt that it would be best if you two are raised up in different environments."

I was going to talk back but he held up a hand for me to stop.

"As the crown prince, you need to be taught the many aspects a king must possess to lead his people in the right direction. So far, it seems that Kaoru's presence in this castle has guided you away from that."

"And that's why you're taking him away from me? That's a stupid reason! Unhand me at once!"

I looked at the carriage to make sure it was still here then doubled my efforts to escape. The longer I let this guy talk, the more I felt the need to be with my brother. If I didn't hurry, he will be taken away from me.

"Prince Hikaru, your father is the one that proposed this idea."

As soon as he said that, I ceased my movements. I looked at him in disbelief then finally notice the piece of paper he was holding. He unfolded the document and showed me the contents on it. At that moment, my body froze.

"It seems that the recent cold he received turned out to be something worse than he expected. That's why he wants to make sure that before his time comes, you two will be trained to become excellent leaders for this kingdom. However, seeing as you two can't concentrate with the other around, this had to be done."

I felt mixed emotions flow through me as my mind started processing the information. My father meant the best for wanting to separate us, but he had to know that keeping me away from him will kill me. He was my other half, we completed each other. I can't be the same without him.

"I know this is hard for you, but you have to think about your brother. He wouldn't want himself to be a distraction from your studies."

Another growl escaped my lips when I knew that he was right. Kaoru being the selfless person he was would do anything to make me the best king. Although I wanted to keep Kaoru by my side, it seems that we'll have to be away from each other for now. I needed to be responsible for once and do what needs to be done.

"Fine, I'll go along with this. He better come back or else I'll have your head."

The advisor grinned and didn't seem to mind the fact that I just threatened him. I looked at the carriage as it started to make its way to the front gate. The hands that were on my arms disappeared and allowed me to take a few steps forward.

"I'll study hard Kaoru, so that I'll be the best king anyone here has ever seen. That's why...please come back soon."


	2. Chapter 2

"Checkmate."

I placed the chess piece on the black tile then smiled when I noticed the look of shock on my tutor's face. It was nice to finally see a different emotion on his face. Although it took constant hours of practice, I was happily enjoying my victory. Once he recovered from his initial shock, a smile formed on his lips.

"Well done. I'm glad that my constant lectures are actually getting through to your head."

"Hey that's hurtful, Kousei. I'm not that hardheaded."

We both shared a laugh as we started to joke around for a while longer. What made this guy different than all of my other tutors was that he was laid back and around my age. At first I thought he would be an arrogant bastard, but he was actually nice and modest. He reminded me of Kaoru whenever he acted silly.

I held back a frown when I thought about him. It has been more than a decade since I've seen my brother with no word of where he was or what he's been doing. Sometimes I wonder if he's going to come back at all. Although I've constantly asked the advisors of his progress, I'm left with nothing in the end.

"Prince Hikaru? Are you alright?"

My eyes turned back to Kousei when he spoke. His expression was filled with confusion but it instantly changed into glee.

"Are you thinking about a secret lover?"

That question made me stumble a bit. I took in a deep breath then tried to stay calm. He might be testing me on how well I can control my temper again.

"What makes you say that? Does this face look like it's yearning for someone?"

"Maybe."

Our eyes locked onto each other in a stare down for a while before he turned away with another smile.

"That will conclude our session for today. Be sure to stay away from evil people and enjoy your night, birthday boy."

He gathered his belongings then left the room without another word. I looked at the chess pieces that remained on the black and white tiles. My white king was in the enemies's territory while black chess pieces surrounded it.

At first, I thought this was going to be another lost game since he had more chess pieces to use to his advantage. However, my mind showed me an opening by using my one knight to corner the black king. Although I didn't think it was going to work, I still managed to win because of that strategy. I held the white knight chess piece in my hand then smiled.

"_Thank you._"

I placed the piece down next to the king then exited the room. Today I was turning eighteen and my parents believed that a ball was needed as celebration. I didn't mind, but associating myself with other nobles was something I hated. All they wanted was to gain more power or influence in the council. That, or they wanted to marry off their daughter to me.

In order to make my parents happy, I'm going to bite my tongue and try to enjoy myself tonight. The only thing I wished for was that my brother would come back to my side. I wanted to make sure that he was alive and happy these past years.

When I paused in my walking, I noticed that my feet were leading me to the direction of the west garden. Since I had nothing better to do, I decided to continue toward that destination. Now that I think about it, it's been a while since I've been to that garden. Because of my busy schedule, I wasn't able to do whatever I pleased. Thankfully, things started to slow down after I finished all of my studies. Kousei was around to make sure I retained all that information, and put it to good use.

Once I arrived at the garden, I walked over to the tree where Kaoru and I used to play at. A small smile formed when I started to reminisce on the memories we had together here. The urge to see him grew as my mind filled itself with thoughts of my brother.

"_Where are you now, Kaoru?_"

"Prince!"

I stayed where I was and didn't make a move as the maid approached me from behind.

"Prince Hikaru, what are you doing out here? You need to get ready for the ball."

It seems that there were things that I needed to do after all. I let myself enjoy the moment a while longer before sighing.

"I know, I'll get dressed now."

I made my way out of the garden while the maid followed after me. Hopefully, I won't get too annoyed being surrounded by dozens of people tonight.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

"And that's when I realized that my buttons were all buttoned incorrectly."

A chorus of laughter filled the area along with my uneasy chuckle. For the past hour, all the older noble people were trying to make light conversations with me. The only reason I didn't leave abruptly was because I had to be respectful to these people. Some of them came from different lands which meant I had to be on good terms with all of them. Before another nobleman could start a new story, I felt a hand on my shoulder as a new presence joined the circle.

"There you are Prince Hikaru, I've been looking everywhere for you. There are others that you need to meet. Please excuse us, everyone."

I looked to the side and saw that it was Kousei by my side. A sigh of relief left me as my friend led me away from the rowdy noblemen.

"Thanks for the save. If I stayed there any longer I would have started an uprise."

"Not a problem."

"Why are you here?"

"It seems you have forgotten that I am the son of Lord Fredrick."

My eyes widened when I realized that his father was the one in charge of all the natural resources that we traded with other kingdoms. This meant that the lumber, coal, and water industries were under his command.

"Quit gaping at me or else people will start thinking I proposed to you."

He chuckled a bit then brought me over to a group of people who where around my age.

"Hello everyone, sorry for the wait. Prince Hikaru, I'd like you to meet, Renge Houshakuji, Ritsu Kasanoda, Benio Amakusa, and...huh? Where did Nekozawa go? He was here a minute ago."

While Kousei looked around for this 'Nekozawa' person, I took in the appearance of the people he pointed to. All of them seemed to be around my age, and were probably the son or daughter of a noble family. Although Renge and Benio fit the appearance of a young lady, the other guy looked like the leader of a gang. His expression said to me that he wanted to kill someone. I was wondering why the other two girls were able to stand near him without being afraid.

"Are you aware of the mean look your giving Prince Hikaru, Casanova?"

"It's Kasanoda."

"Cast a nod on?"

His eyes darkened at Renge whom asked the initial question.

"It's Kasanoda! Get it right already!"

"Shut up! Don't raise your voice at a lady you hooligan!"

"That's right! Women are delicate creatures that must be cared with patience and love."

He instantly flinched at both of their responses then looked away.

"Sorry."

This made me chuckle. It was surprising to see such a tough looking guy cower against two polite young ladies. I was glad to finally have some fun at the ball. If people like these were around, then I wouldn't mind. Even though these people were weird, it made things more interesting. If everything continued to be stiff and formal, I would have screamed.

"I haven't heard of any of you people before. Where are you all from?"

"Ah, my family owns a collection of clothing industries in Gower named Benibara. My parents thought it would be best to name it after their lovely daughter."

I held back a shudder when she made a weird face. The light on her face wasn't help making it look better.

"My family is head of the restaurants in Flourine. Although I would love to get into desserts more than any other type of food. It expresses a maiden's desire for love."

Renge made a similar face to the one Benio was making when she starting talking about love. The two of them started going into a deep speech with what they loved. This left me and Kasanoda to look at each other.

"And you, Casanova?"

He looked to the side and sighed.

"Blacksmith."

"Yeah right. With your looks, it seems like your family is the head of all the ruffians around the kingdom!"

"Stop judging me based on my mean looking face!"

"Ha?! Are you gonna do something about it?!"

Renge and Kasanoda got into a heated stare down which made me laugh once more. I was pretty sure that the girl was playing around, because it was fun to see the guy frustrated. Benio was still in her own world, so I decided to listen to what the other people were talking about. I was going to give up when I suddenly heard something interesting.

"Is that the crown prince?"

"He's wearing a different outfit though."

"Who cares, he's handsome."

I glanced around the crowd to find the person the people were talking about. When my eyes landed on a figure that was standing next to the food table, I froze.

"_Kaoru._"

Although he had his back to me, I was sure it was him. My thoughts were confirmed when he turned around. As soon as his eyes landed on me, a wide smile formed on his lips. Suddenly, he looked away and started making his way to an outdoor balcony. I instantly ran outside to see him already down the stairs the balcony had. He motioned for me to follow him then started running again.

"Hey wait!"

We started our game of cat and mouse, but I wasn't enjoying one bit of it. Since I haven't been exercising lately, Kaoru was able to outrun me. Even so, it seems that he's been taking care of himself for the past few years.

When I thought I was going to lose sight of him, he stopped so that I would catch up. As soon as I was a few feet away, he continued his jog away from me. This routine started to annoy me and I was about to give up until I saw the garden entrance in the distance. We made our away to the tree in the corner then finally stopped. I took that chance to regain my breathing while taking in the appearance of my brother.

Like me, his face has matured throughout the years and made him look more of a man now. His posture was strong and proud while his face remained cheerful. The general outfit he was wearing only added to his sense of power. It wasn't like I was staring at a mirror anymore. To me, Kaoru has transformed into a new person.

"Kaoru."

I took a few steps forward to fully enjoy his presence near me. It felt like I finally had my other half with me.

"Hey Hikaru, it's been a while hasn't it?"

His voice was gentle as usual but held a hint of happiness in them. I looked down not knowing how to react now that we were finally reunited. After twelve long years, we now stood face to face as adults.

"Hey, are you laughing or crying?"

When he asked that, I noticed that my shoulders were shaking. I would have tried holding back my tears, but it felt overwhelming to be near him again.

"Can you please look at me?"

I looked up at him with my eyes filled with tears. He took a step forward to enclose the space between us then held my hand softly. His warmth instantly soothed my body and made me feel at peace.

"Forgive me for not visiting you sooner and also not being able to say this ten years ago on the day we were separated."

He held out a real rose to me in his other hand while offering me a warm smile. Just like the time he gave me a paper rose before we were separated.

"Happy Birthday Hikaru."

After finally hearing the words from the only person I wanted to hear them from, I embraced him tightly and didn't want to let go. I closed my eyes and enjoyed his warmth as tears flowed freely from my eyes. His hand gently petted my hair and gave me a new sense of safety. My brother has finally returned to me.

Once I was no longer crying, we parted then sat on the ground next to each other. I made sure to look at him every once in a while so that I could reassure myself that this wasn't a dream. That Kaoru was here and going to stay by my side this time.

"Kaoru, where have you been?"

I looked at the rose in my hand and gently brushed my finger against the soft petals. Their was no specific fragrance the flower gave off but I still liked it.

"Here and there."

His answer made me want to laugh and sigh at the same time. So far, he was acting the same as the time we were still together.

"That's not what I meant. What have you been doing all this time?"

"This and that."

A growl almost escaped my lips before I looked at him with a frown. He has gotten better in making me feel frustrated.

"You're not giving me a direct answer."

"You didn't say it had to be direct."

I immediately punched his arm to show him my annoyance but he chuckled in response. Then, he turned his attention to the sky where his eyes were locked on the moon. After a moment of comfortable silence, he asked me something that I wouldn't have expected him to.

"You know why we were separated don't you, Hikaru?"

Their was another silence because memories instantly flooded my mind after he asked that. The emotional distress of being separated from my brother was agonizing. Being unable to prevent it also angered me. However, I had to be understanding because it was my father's idea. Still, I grumbled at the fact that I was unable to keep in touch with Kaoru.

I felt something warm touch my hand then noticed that my twin was kneeling in front of me. When my eyes looked up to him, I felt more calm and made my body less tense.

"That's all in the past now. What matters now is that we're together again, right?"

His other hand moved a clump of hair from my face while his eyes never left mine. I felt enchanted by his stare and couldn't look away even if I wanted to. It was the same when we were kids, but it was effecting me more now for some reason.

"I'll protect you from now on, my prince."

He leaned his head down to kiss my hand then gaze back at me with a sincere smile. I felt the heat rush to my cheeks from that act which made his eyes twinkle in delight. This made me embarrassed and angry that his tricks were really effecting me.

"Hey, why are you treating me like a princess! Treat me properly!"

"No promises. Cookie?"

I wasn't surprised when he offered me a cookie. After the many incidents in the pass of a dessert thief, I learned not to question his supply of cookies. I took the dessert from him then smiled. It was still funny that he had these things with him though.

"Thanks."

A yawn escaped my lips before nibbling on the cookie until there was nothing left of it. Now it was time to continue the interrogation.

"Going back to my question earlier, what have you been doing?"

Before he answered, I remember something.

"A direct answer is what I want."

His lips formed into a wide smile before he chuckled lightly.

"So demanding."

He adjusted his sitting position.

"I've been under the care of dad's best general. Since you're destined to be the next king, I was to be a general who will protect the kingdom. The training was pretty tough, but I'm alive so it's all good."

The way he said that made me worried. I've heard of the strict training the soldiers had to go through in order to get through the army. Not only did they have to endure strength training, but their minds had to be exercised everyday. If a soldier wanted to quit, they would be branded as a traitor and would be hunted down by the army.

"Don't worry, at least now I can beat the living daylights out of anyone before they can take me away from you."

This made me laugh a little but I still frowned when he mentioned our separation. It seems that anything related to that would dim my mood.

"Have you been a good boy and attend your lessons, Hikaru?"

"More or less."

He chuckled before ruffling my hair.

"Bad boy."

I stuck my tongue out him and didn't care how childish I was being. Kaoru would be the only one to see this side of me.

"I still love you either way."

"Love you too Kaoru."

When I noticed what I said, it made me pause for a moment. Saying 'I love you' to someone can mean something different depending on the person and situation. By saying those same words to my brother, I probably meant it in a brotherly way. I was sure that Kaoru was thinking the same too.

However, something made me felt that it wasn't that way when I answered immediately. The words felt right when I said it to him. That thought made me wonder if I was in love with my brother. In all honesty, I didn't care what other people would think if it was true. I know it would be a disgrace and a big scandal since I was a prince but it didn't matter to me. As long as Kaoru was with me, then there's nothing I should be worried about.

I looked at my twin and wonder if he had the same feelings for me. We might look and think the same, but our actions and personalities are both different. He might think that as princes, we shouldn't be together even if we shared the same feelings.

There's also the possibility that he has eyes for another. Being away from the castle and having to travel from one camp site to another can give him the opportunity for that. Thinking about that made me upset, but I shook that thought aside. I needed to act like a good older brother. Kaoru wouldn't be selfish like I would of him being happy with someone other than myself. But in the world we created, there was no one else except us.

A sudden yawn made me pull away from my deep thoughts and catch the attention of my brother.

"Tired?"

I shook my head and held back from rubbing my eyes. For some reason, I felt a bit drowsy from all the excitement that happened today.

"You should go to sleep, Hikaru. We can talk again tomorrow."

I shook my head knowing that the possibility isn't possible. My private lessons with Kousei will keep me from talking to him. Plus, I had to discuss some things with the advisors and my parents. From experience, I knew that those meetings would take a long time.

"I want to keep talking to you now."

He pinched my cheeks then stretched them a little which caused me to whine loudly.

"You are going to sleep and that's final mister."

When he removed his hands from my face, I pouted. It made me wonder how he could easily turn into the older brother in these situations. I just wanted to spend some time with him now that he's here. However, his facial expression told me he was serious, so I decided to play a cheap card.

"It's my birthday today and I can do whatever I want."

"That won't stop me from doing this."

All of a sudden, he grabbed my waist and hoisted me over his shoulder before heading out of the garden. At first I was surprised that he had this much upper body strength, but I easily placed that thought aside.

"Hey! Put me down! I don't wanna go to sleep yet!"

I punched his back hoping he would loosen his grip, but he didn't budge. My mind searched for some options then I remembered that we were both ticklish. I leaned forward a bit before poking his side.

"Ah!"

Once his body flinched, I wiggled away from his grip. As soon as I was on the ground, I pushed him down then started tickling him.

"Revenge!"

"Ahahaha, no f-fair!"

I made sure to touch all of his sensitive spots so that his body was paralyzed with laughter. This way, he wouldn't be able to push my hands away.

"Let me stay up for as long as I want."

"Haha ne-ne-ever! Ahhaha."

His stubborn nature made me smile. Or to be honest, his laughter and signs of him being happy always makes me smile.

"Come on, yield!"

As I continued to tickle him, he gave in then nodded. After I stopped tickling him, he reversed the situation and pinned me to the ground. When my hands were held down with one hand, he began to tickle my sides.

"Hehe hey! Hahaha."

I shook my head and tried to wiggle my way out of his grip again. To my disappointment, his hold on my hands was stronger than the strength I possessed. By the way he was tickling me, I knew that he still remembers where my weak spots were. I also understood that he wasn't going to stop anytime soon.

"Promise me to go to sleep in five minutes."

The idea was nothing I would agree to, but I was losing my breath with each second.

"O-only f-aahaha-iv-ve?"

"Fine ten minutes."

"Ahahha de-eal!"

He immediately stopped then pulled me up into a sitting position. When we were seated next to each other, I noticed that he was covering his sides. That made me smile.

"Kaoru, you'll stay by my side right?"

His hand held onto mine firmly while he smiled back at me.

"I won't break my promise."

My smile remained on my face before I pulled him into a hug. His response made me really happy and I knew that I didn't need anything else. With him by my side, there's nothing I can't do and I was sure of that. What I wasn't sure of is if I was in love with him. But I know I'll figure it out.


	3. Chapter 3

I opened my eyes then immediately groaned at the blurry sight I was greeted with. When I looked at the empty bedside right next to me, I frowned. Last night, all I remembered was talking to my brother and enjoying the night sky. At first, I thought he would sleep next to me since we've always did that as kids. Even thought he had his own room, Kaoru always slept right by my side. I guess we were too old for those kinds of things.

When I turned over to look at the night stand, a glass vase, with the orange rose Kaoru gave me, was standing their. I instantly knew my brother must have been the one to place it their. A smile broke out from my lips and I could feel something warm grow in my stomach.

"_You're a real sweetheart, Kaoru. If you keep this up, I'll fall for you._"

Again, the thought wasn't unappealing to me. I was welcoming each feeling that came whenever Kaoru was with me. In my mind, I knew that if it turned out that I'm in love with him, then I was going to pursue him.

As I took a better look at the orange rose, it seemed fascinating to gaze at. Last night, I was able to stare at it without getting bored. The small red colors on the edges of the petals slowly blend with the orange until it reached the center of the rose. Most of the roses in the garden were single colored so this interested me. This orange rose also reminded me of Kaoru because of its fragrant beauty and enchantment.

After a moment, I simply smiled then closed my eyes. It was too early to be awake so I'll rest a while longer. All of a sudden, I heard the door to my bedroom open. Their were faint footsteps that grew louder until they approached my bed. I kept my eyes closed to see what the intruder would do. As soon as the person placed their hand on my hair, I relaxed knowing it was Kaoru.

"I'll be back Hikaru, try not to miss me too much."

I felt my heart throb when I heard that he was leaving. When I opened my eyes, I was about to say something but he already closed the door. A frown formed on my lips as many questions filled my head.

"_Where are you going? When will you be back?"_

Despite all the questions, one thing stayed in my mind. His safety. After learning last night that he was now a general, that meant he would be sent on multiple missions. Although we weren't at war right now, I knew that generals were often sent out of the kingdom for all kinds of purposes. I sat up from my bed knowing that I won't be going back to sleep now.

My mind was on full alert, so I got out of bed. After I got dressed, a sudden thought popped into my head. I quickly went over to my balcony then climbed down the vines like I did when I was a kid. After experimenting for many years, I figured out that using the vines were the quickest way to the stables. Their, I hoped to catch a glimpse of Kaoru on his way out.

That was easier sad than done. Although it was early in the morning, many of the servants, maids and guards were awake as well. They knew that I had to be with my tutor as soon as I woke up, so I had to stay clear from them. Thankfully, I manage to arrive at the stable even though I had to make a few detour along the way.

In the distance, I saw Kaoru petting a white horse with silver hair. At that same time, a knight approached him with a charming smile. They both saddled up their horses while making light conversation. The way that knight was looking at my brother bothered me, but I dismissed that thought when they started riding towards the front gate. I stared at my brother's back until he disappeared around the corner with his companion.

"_Please be safe, Kaoru._"

A sigh left my lips as I continued to lean against a stone wall. For some reason, I felt worn out even though I was awake for barely ten minutes.

"So, what exactly are we looking at, Prince Hikaru?"

The sudden voice next to my ear almost made me scream in fear, but I had enough self control not to. It did make my body flinch. However, once I recognize whose voice it belonged to, I was annoyed. When I turned my head to the side, Kousei's smiling face was right next to mine.

"You're a bastard."

I rubbed my temples then brushed passed him to make my way to the library. His chuckle echoed in the hallway until his footsteps overpowered that sound.

"It's rare to see you awake at this time of day and at the stables no less. Were you seeing off your secret lover?"

Since it was too early in the morning for this, I decided to ignore him completely. However, that doesn't seem to bother him in the least. He continued to ask me things nonstop although I refused to answer any of his questions. It wasn't until we were in the library did he stop talking. I thank God for that then sat on one of the couches.

"Now then. Is there anything you would like to do before we start your lesson?"

"I'd like to do nothing for today's lesson if that was possible."

Kousei looked thoughtful for a moment then smiled.

"I trust that you're ready in your current state so I will grant that request."

"What? Really?"

To be honest, I was expecting him to tease me before starting the lesson like he would usually do. Maybe he was being nice because it was my birthday yesterday.

"Just please answer these questions I've written on this paper to test you on your knowledge of being king. Afterwards, you're free to do whatever you want in this library."

He handed me a piece of paper and a feather before pushing a bottle of ink towards me. I looked at the first question then almost wanted to tear the paper apart.

"_Question 1: Do you have a secret lover?_"

When I skipped to the next question, my eye twitched in annoyance.

"_Question 2: Did you skip the first question because you are afraid?_"

My eyes turned back to the smiling tutor. He appeared to be enjoying my reactions to his test.

"How do these question have anything to do with my knowledge of being a king!"

"Temper, temper. A king should never rule with an iron fist unless he wants his people to revolt against him."

His smile and calm composure taunted me more than ever now. It felt like he was toying with me for his own amusement. He raised one of his hands to run it through his hair. In that swift movement, his smile turned into a frown as his eyes twinkled with annoyance. The sudden change made me surprised since I've never seen him like this before.

"You know, Prince Hikaru. If I were to be honest right now."

He took a few steps forward then stopped when he was right in front of me.

"I'd say that you're not fit to be king _at all_."

Kousei made sure to stress the last part to make his point clear to me. His narrowed at me as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"What's with the sudden conviction, Kousei?"

"Conviction? I'm merely stating my opinion."

"You're questioning my ability of being king and that could be taken as a capital offense."

"I'm your tutor, I have rights to say what I want."

I held back a growl then stood up so that we were standing face to face with each other.

"Honestly, I don't care about that. I'm the next heir to the throne and I have just enough capabilities to do it. To me you are just like those advisors who are old, greedy, and useless. I'll listen to what you have to say, but I know what needs to be done to direct my kingdom in the right direction. And I'm not going to allow people like you to try and talk me down."

Kousei looked shock for a moment and I was too at my sudden outburst. I wasn't expecting to say that in front of him but I didn't want to take it back. That's how I truly felt and if other people complained then I don't care. This kingdom is in an unbalanced state, but I knew how to make us grow from where we are now. All because I promised Kaoru that I'll be the best king ever.

When I heard clapping, I snapped out of my thoughts then noticed it was coming from my tutor. His expression was filled with glee as he joined his hands together.

"Great job. I knew you would pass."

"Huh?"

"For the past year, the advisors have been wondering if you were ready to become king yet. Today I was suppose to see if you were truly ready or not. The only way I could do that was to make you spill your feelings through anger and it was a success. I deem you worthy to be king."

I gaped at the words that started coming out of his mouth then sighed. This guy is much smarter than he looks. He set this up from the start and I fell for it.

"You're really a bastard."

"That's hurtful."

"Remind me to appoint you as my head advisor when I'm king."

He paused for a moment then nodded with a smile.

"Yes, your highness. So, now that I've approved you. What shall we do before your meeting with the council?"

I placed the paper aside and rubbed my head again to think. When my mind flashed to the orange rose Kaoru gave me, I got an idea.

"Is their a book that specializes on roses or flowers?"

Kousei looked up while making a thoughtful expression before going over to the back of the library. His figure vanished into one of the sections then came back a few minutes later with a few books in his hands. He then placed the rest on the table nearby with a loud thud.

"So, what are you looking for?"

I described the rose to him with the best of my abilities and he seemed to know what I was talking about. As he started flipping through the mass of books he brought with him, I started thinking about Kaoru. I was wondering where he was right now and what he was doing. His safety still lingered in my mind as I constantly wished for his return.

"Oh, before I forget."

Suddenly, I felt something hard hit the back of my head. I looked at Kousei to see him smiling happily with a book in his hand.

"Why?"

He opened the book and leaned back on the table while I rubbed my head.

"Well, yesterday while I was looking for Nekozawa, you disappeared when I came back. Do you know how long it took to drag him back to where I left you? You're heartless."

I opened my mouth to say something then closed it. Right now, I was going to ignore it or else I'll develop a headache.

"All I want to know, is what that guy's family does."

"Hmm, I think it has something to do with scriptures. Maybe they own book stores."

"You're not sure?"

"Nekozawa's family is very secretive. They like to keep to themselves so I was surprised to see their heir at your party."

"Sounds suspicious to me."

"Don't say that. Everyone has their reasons. That's why we should never judge others, because we don't know their story."

I looked at him for a moment to see him flipping through the pages of a green book. He acted much more mature than his age showed. I wish I could have that same amount of maturity. However, it made me wonder what experience has made him this way. For me, it was the day Kaoru and I were separated. Although it doesn't look like it, I didn't trust anyone and I made sure to shut everyone out. My parents were always somewhere else, so I never had any chance to talk to them. I only allowed Kousei to see some of my true self, because he reminded me of Kaoru.

"Based on your descriptions, I found something that seems to fit."

He handed me the book he was holding while pointing to the title on the page. My eyes read over the bold words that said 'Hybrid Tea Rose'. There was a brief, colored sketch on the side of the page where there was a paragrah explaining all about the rose. Although the picture didn't do the real rose justice, it was close enough for me to confirm that this was the rose I received from Kaoru.

"By combining hybrid perpetuals and tea roses, you can get one of the oldest modern garden rose in the palm of your hand. Colors range from red, lavender, orange and can be multicolored. It is indeed a lovely species of roses."

I nodded my head in agreement. If I were to describe Kaoru as a flower, it would be that rose he gave me. He was a rare beauty among other roses and their colors can't compare to his own. His personality and natural glow makes him shine above anything.

When I realized the thoughts that I was thinking, I started to agree to myself that I was falling in love with my brother. I didn't mind that my feelings were drifting that way. Every sign I encountered seemed to encourage me to confess my true emotions to my brother.

"If I were to give a name to the rose you were describing, I would say it was 'Remember Me' or 'Sunset Celebration'. But I'm thinking that the flower would be more of the 'Remember Me' because it has the darker color you talked about."

My head instantly popped up when I heard the names of the roses. In my mind, I started to wonder if Kaoru was aware of this information of the roses. Then again, I remembered that he used to study flowers and their meaning based on color and breed. A small smile formed on my lips when I thought to myself that he was sending me little messages in these little details.

"Are you telling me the truth? Be honest now."

He looked up from a book he was holding on then smiled. His eyes gazed at the book in my hand with an unknown expression then disappeared when he looked at me.

"Yes I am. A special person told me about hybrid tea roses, so I would know."

The mention of a 'special' person suddenly peaked my interest of his personal life.

"And by 'special' person do you mean a secret lover?"

I made sure to use the same playful tone he was using whenever he asked me if I had a secret lover. As soon as the question left my lips, I chuckled lightly because of how comical the situation was.

"Yes."

His immediate answer made me pause in my chuckle. My eyes moved back to the young man calmly leaning against the table with a new book in his hand. When he turned the page, I started to become curious who this person could be. However, before I can open my mouth, he cut me off.

"Not going to tell you. Unless however, you tell me who your secret lover is."

I shook my head and smiled in disbelief as he looked at me with his same happy expression.

"You still think that I have a secret lover?"

Instead of answering, he turned back to his book and put his full attention to it. I sighed a little while looking up at the ceiling. As soon as he mentioned my 'secret lover', my mind immediately went to Kaoru. When I looked back to Kousei, I started to wonder if he would laugh at me if I told him the love of my life is my brother.

"I won't judge you, remember that. Everyone has their reason for their actions. I myself don't have the right to judge others anyway, so don't worry."

Upon hearing his response, I felt a small weight being lifted from my shoulder. I placed the book down on a table then walked over to place a hand on his shoulder. The sudden contact made him look at me with a confused expression.

"You're such a good person. Whoever your secret lover is, she should feel very lucky to have you."

Their was an instant smile on his face as he nodded his head to me.

"Thanks. I hope he feels the same way."

I chuckled a little then paused when I heard him say 'he'. When I looked at him, he was already indulge in his book.

"Yes, Prince Hikaru, my secret lover is a guy. You dare laugh at me and I will take away my approval in a second."

His response made me burst out laughing again since it didn't sound like a threat at all. Even though I knew he was serious, his silly attitude told me never to take him too seriously.

"Don't worry, I won't. I'm not going to get creeped out just cause you love a guy."

I leaned right next to him on the table and looked around the library to take in the scenary at this angle.

"I'm guessing that's why he's a 'secret' lover?"

"Yes, unfortunetly. My father would never approve of his son being with another man. It would ruin his reputation and view of me being the perfect heir."

He turned the page as his expression remained with a small smile. In my mind, I could see that he was having a hard time with this. I placed my arm around his shoulder and left it their for a while.

"Don't worry about it. Once I'm king and appoint you as my trustworthy advisor, I'll do something about it."

I nodded at my own declaration then looked at him to see if it had any effect on his expression. For a moment, something flickered in his eyes while his smile grew.

"I'll be looking forward to that, soon to be King Hikaru."

"So, who's your secret lover?"

"Didn't I say that I wasn't going to tell you unless you reveal the identity of your lover?"

A growl left my lips and contemplated if I should tell him about Kaoru or not. I knew that I could trust him with this information, and could have some advice for me. However, I felt that I needed to confirm that I was indeed in love with Kaoru. At that moment, I knew that I had to see him again. I needed to see Kaoru and know that these feelings aren't lies.

"Since you're not disagreeing. I'm guessing that I'm correct?"

"Maybe. I'm not sure yet."

His eyes stared at me with amusement.

"When you find your answer. Be sure to tell me alright?"

Before I could answer, the door to the library opened and a servant came in. He bowed once then nodded at Kousei before leaving the room. A sigh left his lips as he closed the book and placed it back on the table.

"Looks like it's time for you to meet with the council. Follow me."

I did as I was told and copied the steps he took to our destination. It didn't take long before we ended up in front of tall double doors. Kousei entered first then I followed behind into the meeting room. The council members were already in their seats as we approached the oval table.

"I am pleased to announce that Prince Hikaru has been approved to be next in line for the throne."

All the members nodded in content.

"You may leave now, Takahashi Kousei."

He bowed a little then turned to leave not before placing his hand on my shoulder. It was only for a moment because soon after, he left the room without another trace. I took my seat at the end of the table and looked at the people who were present. This was going to be a long meeting.


	4. Chapter 4

"An arranged marriage?"

I held back my annoyance to the idea of being engaged, but it was proving to be difficult. These people knew just how to test my patience.

"In order for you to become king, you must be wedded to a princess."

"Why haven't I heard of this until now?"

The council members looked at each other uneasily at first then back to me.

"We first needed to be sure that you were ready to take the throne. Now that you are approved and have reached a proper age for marriage, we decided it was now appropriate to tell you."

"I refuse."

"Prince Hikaru, please be reasonable."

"Does a prince really need a princess to become a king?"

"It's part of tradition. Plus, your future bride will be from the kingdom of Flourine. If you two are wedded, our kingdoms will form a strong alliance."

I placed my fingers against my temple and gently rubbed it. The more these old people kept talking to me, the more I wished that I was already king. I would drop them all fom the court in a heart beat.

"I see you people still care only about yourselves, and are willing to sacrifice what I think for political advantages."

"We are simply doing what's best for this kingdom and you should to. As the future leader, you should be willing to make these sacrifices for your people."

"Right, and when was the last time you people sacrificed something for the kingdom?"

Their was a moment of silence and I held back a smirk from forming on my lips. I already knew the answer to the question and they did to. However, they were too scared to say anything.

"As members of the council, I believe that it's far enough that you people have to suffer like I do as well?"

"Prince Hikaru."

A stern voice caused another silence in the room. When I turned my attention to who said it, I almost scowled. The person who spoke was the same advisor who tore Kaoru away from me that time long ago. If I wasn't mistaken, his name was Isaac.

"As much as we would like to share the same burden as you. This decision was from your father."

I kept a composed face even though I was ready to tear someone or something apart. In my mind, I understood why my father would want me to get married. His condition has worsen throughout the years, and I truly believed that his time was near. Still, I wished he would have at least talk to me about this. I didn't want to get married to a princess when the only one in my mind was Kaoru.

"I'll discuss this with my father then."

"It's too late for that. The princess of Flourine is already on her way here escourted by your brother. All you need to do now is accept your fate."

"So that's what you guys sent him for."

A sigh left my lips as my annoyance continued to grow within each passing moment. However, despite my hatred for these people, that same resentment allowed me to endure my studies in becoming king. Still, I wish they would stop acting as if they were the ones in command.

"And what if I refuse."

"We'll hand the throne to your brother, Kaoru."

"What if he doesn't want to do it."

The advisor smiled as if he expected me to say that.

"Prince Kaoru, unlike you, accepts his responsibility so we are sure that he would take control."

I held back a chuckle.

"So all of you people would easily throw away your hard work to create the perfect king for my brother?"

One of the advisors opened his mouth to say something, but Isaac raised his hand for him to stop speaking.

"If you are going to let your brother carry the burden, then we will be willing to work with him. Even though he wasn't part of our plan."

Our eyes locked onto each other in a long stare before he spoke once more.

"Now Prince Hikaru. Will you accept the marriage and become king of this kingdom?"

I narrowed my eyes at him as he spoke. I already knew Kaoru didn't want to be the one to take the throne, but he would take my place if I didn't want to. He was that kind of a person. If it meant the happiness of someone he loved, he would do whatever was necessary. And by the looks of it, the advisors were alright with using my brother if I didn't cooperate.

A long sigh left my lips as I started thinking about the situation. I knew that the right thing to do was to accept the marriage since it was what I've been living for all this time. However, my stubbornness never died throughout the years. Plus, accepting the marriage meant that I wouldn't be able to live my life with Kaoru. Then again, I should have known that it wouldn't be easy to make what I want a reality. I guess I'll play their game for now.

"Yes. I, Prince Hikaru, accept my marriage to the princess of Flourine."

Isaac smiled along with all the other advisors. However, I promised in my mind that they wouldn't be smiling when I take the throne. Although they think they could control me, the only one who's going to do that is me.

"You may leave. The princess will arrive later in the afternoon and we'll let a servant inform you of their arrival."

I nodded then left the room. As I walked down the hallway, a pair of hurried footsteps followed me from behind. When I stopped to turn around, the servant following me stopped then bowed.

"Prince Hikaru, the king needs to see you now. Afterwards, please go to the garden maze to meet with your mother."

Another sigh left my lips before I dismissed the servant then headed to my father's bedroom. As soon as I arrived at my destination, I breathed in before walking inside. Once I was standing beside my father's bed, he noticed my presence and offered a weak smile. He looked worse compared to the last time I saw him, but it wasn't a surprise since he was dying.

"Hikaru..."

He slowly held up his hand which I held in my own so that he wouldn't have to use his strength to lift it up. The wrinkles in his hands felt soft but rigged against my own. It was a wonder how much time he had left in this cruel world.

"..the wedding..."

I cut him off to save his breath.

"I decided to accept it, so don't worry about it, father. Just, please get better so that you can see it for yourself."

A chuckle left his lips, but it turned into a cough soon after.

"I'll...try..."

I forced a smile on my face as I kneeled down so that I could be closer to him. Time has taken its toll on his body and I doubt that he was going to see my wedding. Since this might be the last time I see him, I decided to voice my thoughts.

"Father, I think I love Kaoru."

There was no hesitation in my voice, and the words felt right when it came out of my mouth. Because of these signs, I felt that I wasn't just being confused with my feelings. I loved Kaoru, and there was nothing that's going to change that. Getting married to a princess wasn't going to change my thoughts.

Instead of the shocked expression I was expecting from my father, he simply chuckled. When he calmed down, his eyes spoke to me. They held happiness but sorrow at the same time.

"Forgive me...for forcing this...role onto you...and your brother."

His hand firmly held my hand to emphasize his point and I looked down. I knew I couldn't blame him for all this, so I sighed then squeezed his hand.

"Don't worry about us."

My eyes switched back to his face.

"We'll be fine as long as we're together."

I smiled one last time then placed his hand back by his side. He slowly nodded then closed his eyes to take his afternoon nap. Once I heard his soft snoring, I exited the room and walked towards the maze garden. I'm guessing that my mother also wanted to talk about the wedding. That or she just wanted to talk. Ever since my father has been cursed with his sickness, she stayed by his side at all times. Because of that, I have never been able to talk to my parents about anything. Around the same time, Kaoru was taken away from me, and I had to start my studies to become a king.

As my mind started to drift on the memories of my past, my feet were automatically leading me through the maze. By the time Kaoru and I could walk, we were always playing around in the gardens. This maze has never become a difficult task to complete, so I had the confidence to successfully complete this with a blindfold on. We even manage to find the secret room placed deep within the maze by accident. Our parents were surprised when they found us their since it was going to be a surprise later that week.

The sudden memory made me smile as I stopped in front of a deadend. I reached to the side then flipped the latch to unlock the secret door. Once inside, I walked over to a white table where my mother sat. When she noticed my presence, a smile graced her lips as she motioned for me to sit. My eyes looked at the lunch prepared for two people then to my mother.

"Go ahead and eat first. We can talk afterwards."

I smiled then started digging into the food. Last night I didn't eat that much because I was spending time with Kaoru, so I was pretty hungry right now. It didn't take much longer till their was only a bit of food left on my plate. While I finished my lunch, my mother barely touched her food.

"Not eating, mom?"

"I don't feel like it at the moment. Maybe later."

"Something on your mind?"

She sighed before taking a sip of her tea. I gulped down some juice since I wasn't very fond of tea. It was too bitter for my liking.

"I'm just worried about you and your brother."

"What, you think we'll cause mass destruction now that we're together again?"

A chuckle left her lips.

"Not exactly. I'm more concerned about the lives you two have to live by."

"Such as?"

"The wedding perhaps? I'm sure you disagreed to the idea very quickly."

"Actually, I accepted the marriage."

The queen looked shocked for a moment and I wouldn't blame her. I certainly would have refused the marriage, but sacrifices needed to be made. My mother suddenly smiled as she clapped her hands together.

"That's wonderful to hear. What made you agree to it?"

"I want to make Kaoru happy."

She didn't say anything, so I took that as a sign to continue on.

"Because of me, he's been sent away to become a general. The only reason I went through with studying was so I can be a great king for Kaoru. That way, he would come back to me sooner."

I stared down at the pool of juice in my cup to look at my reflection. What I saw was a powerless boy desperately trying to fight for his wish to come true. When I looked back to my mother, she gazed at me with a sympathetic smile.

"Hikaru, I want to let you know that you have made your parents proud."

She reached over to touch my hand.

"I'm glad that we have such wonderful sons, and I wouldn't have asked for children better than you two."

"Thanks mom. We should do this again sometime. It's fun eating and talking with you."

"We will. Tonight we're going to have a dinner together along with Princess Haruhi. It's going to be a wonderful meal."

"Princess Haruhi? Why does that sound familiar."

"You two met when you were kids and used to play together all the time. Remember? She has short brown hair, big eyes, and a nice smile."

I looked into my thoughts to recollect those times. That's when some fuzzy memories of her flashed in my mind.

_"I'm a girl you idiot! Only someone as stupid as you would think I'm a guy."_

_"Hikaru wait up!"_

_"Hey look, a butterfly. Isn't it pretty?"_

The memories soon disappeared and left a somewhat nostalgic feeling in me. After finding out that my betrothed is someone I knew, I felt somewhat better. However, going through my memories made me realize that I had a crush on that girl when I was little. Now I was wondering if seeing her would make me like her more than Kaoru. Then again, I wouldn't know until I see the both of them. I sighed before drinking the rest of my juice. Things just got more complicated.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

After talking to my mother, I spent my time thinking in the garden next to the tree Kaoru loved to climb. I knew I had feelings for Kaoru, but I was starting to wonder if I should just be loyal to Haruhi. She would probably be the only girl that I would be fine with as my queen. Maybe my small crush as a kid could turn to love when we get married. Besides, it might be better this way since Kaoru wouldn't love me back.

Suddenly, my thoughts were thrown out of balance when someone jump on my back which caused me to tumble to the ground. Before I could see who had the audacity to surprise attack me, the person rolled off my back then into my field of vision to reveal a smiling Kousei.

"Hello there prince, what are you thinking so deeply about?"

"It's none of your business. Why are you still in the castle anyway, isn't your job as tutor over?"

"Yes, but the advisors said they needed someone to look over the library so they chose me!"

I sighed as I brushed off the grass in my hair then sat on the grass next to him. To be honest, I was glad he was still here. The castle wouldn't be the same without him. Or at least my normal routine would be different.

"So back to my question, why so serious?"

"Huh? I'm just thinking about stuff. Why are you always so curious about what I'm thinking?"

"I'm always curious about what other people are thinking. Aren't you as well?"

He rolled around a few times causing some grass to get caught in his hair. The sight was unusual since I was used to seeing him so calm and poised during lectures. Who knew the heir of a big company could be a calm yet childish guy like him. Then again, I was the heir to the throne and I still can't control my stubbornness or temper. But I was getting better at it.

"So, I heard that you're going to marry the princess. What about your secret lover?"

My eye twitched.

"Again with the secret lover. Is that subject the only thing you're interested about?"

Next to me, I could hear him chuckle as he continued to roll around the grass. I didn't bother to conceal my annoyance since I was too tired to do so.

"It's more like now that I don't have to tutor you, I can fool around more. What better way to do that then to ask about your love life?"

"Why do I even ask."

Their was another chuckle before he laid down on his back to stare up at the sky.

"Seriously though, are you alright with marrying a princess? You seem like the type to marry for love."

"It was the only way for me to become king. The advisors didn't give me much of a choice. Besides, if I refused, they would have forced Kaoru into marriage."

A moment of silence passed us which was weird since Kousei was talking freely before. When I looked at him, he was staring at me in awe. For some reason, his expression made my eye twitch.

"You know, Kaoru is very lucky to have a brother like you. You're such a big softie."

I instantly grabbed him into a headlock then applied some pressure on his neck as a warning. In response, he flailed his arm, but didn't try to get away from my grip. Probably cause he knew that I wasn't going to fatally hurt him.

"A 'softie' you say?"

"Help! I'm being molested!"

My eye twtiched once more before I applied more force on his neck to vent my frustration. He started struggling at that point before going limp. I looked down to see why he stopped moving then saw that he passed out. A sigh left my lips as I laid him down on the grass.

"Great, I went to far."

His breathing told me he was still alive so I was relieved. Just to be safe, I checked his neck for any external bruises or wounds. Thankfully there were none so he wasn't that injured. As I looked at him, I realized how handsome he was. Kousei had dark brown hair and hazel nut eyes. I've never seen him work out before but he had muscles on his arms and legs. It wasn't a lot that he looked like a huge monster, but enough for him not to look skinny. From what I can see, there weren't any scars or blemishes on his body either.

"Is there a reason why you're looking at me so closely, Prince Hikaru?"

My body flinched when Kousei suddenly started to talk then backed away when he sat up to stretch. He looked at me with a sly smile which only made my eyes go wide.

"Am I so handsome that you needed to stare at my body while I was unconscious?"

He fluttered his eyes at me then started laughing while holding his stomach. I growled then quickly tackled him to pull his head into another headlock. This time, I didn't hold back on strangling his neck.

"You sneaky fox. I can't believe you were faking the whole time. Maybe I should just kill you."

I messed up his hair with one hand while the other held him in place. At this time, Kousei tried to escape from my grip. However, I wasn't going to let him go easy so I made sure that he couldn't break free. Once I managed to release all my stress, I let his body slide down to the grass where he laid breathing heavily. I smiled at my handy work. It served him right for making me believe that he was unconscious.

When I looked up at the sky, it was still a deep blue which meant that the day was still young. I remembered the rose Kaoru gave me then wished for his safe return. My heart ached to see him again.

"Prince Hikaru. I really do think that Kaoru is lucky to have a brother like you. Since I'm an only child, I had to fend for myself as soon as I was able to walk. My parents never really helped me, so I only had myself."

I looked at him in empathy then reached out a hand to touch his shoulder. When his eyes locked onto mine, I smiled.

"When my brother was taken away from me, that's just how I felt. My parents weren't their for me either, so I had to go through all the hardships by myself. But, the thought of Kaoru coming back always made me keep going whenever things were tough. He was my strength."

Kousei nodded in understanding.

"At first, I was going to give up since everything was so hard. I think, everything changed when I went to Kwalo town."

There was a moment of silence as his face changed into a dazed expression. Since it looked like he wasn't going to continue, I urged him on.

"What happened?"

He smiled for a moment then started to tell his tale.

Many years ago (Kousei's pov)

"Tch, I can't believe this. Why do I have to stay cooped up in my room studying all day anyway? Most kids my age are playing outside while I have to learn about history, art, literature, and everything else that's known to man."

I kicked a pebble as I walked down the streets by myself. Since my father was meeting up with an important client, I decided to escape from the inn to explore the town. To me, I don't understand why I was brought on this trip. It didn't make sense for me to be with my father if he was just going to talk to his customers or business partners. I shook my head to forget these thoughts and let my feet lead me to any destination.

When I arrived at the edge of the town, I saw a couple of people dressed in armor in the field of grass along with two young boys. I approached the scene to get a closer look then saw that one of the adults was having a sword fight with one of the boys. To my surprise, the young boy with black hair manage to knock the blade out of his opponent's hand then aim his sword at his neck within a second.

"Good job Kyoya. Prince Kaoru, your turn."

As soon as the man who looked like a general mentioned the boy's title, I recognized him as the heir of the kingdom. This made me wonder why he was in a small town such as this. One would think that he would be in the castle being pampered by his servants. Kyoya handed his sword to Kaoru then patted his back while saying incoherent words in his ear. Kaoru took his stance while the soldier did the same. When the battle started, it didn't take long before Kaoru's sword was aimed at himself by the soldier.

The general walked over to the boy then punched his stomach. I gasped at the sight, and couldn't believe what I was seeing. Kaoru instantly fell to the ground which made Kyoya run to his side. Before he could get there, the general held up a hand to make him stop in his tracks. It was easy to see that Kyoya wanted to be by the prince's side, but he followed the general's silent order.

"Give me twenty push ups, right now then go back there and win."

Kaoru looked up at the general then did as he was told with shaky arms. I bit my lip as I continued to watch what was happening. That kid looked younger than me and was a prince, yet he was being treated so strictly. If I was in his position, I would have ran away by then. However, this guy, Kaoru, was going through with this. That kind of strength, I envied him for having.

When he was done with the exercise, he grabbed his sword then fought the soldier again. He lasted longer than the last time, but still lost in the end. Again, the general went over and punched Kaoru then told him to repeat the process. The prince did it all without a complaint as Kyoya watched with angry eyes. I was sure that he wanted to say something or help ease his friend's pain. However, I was guessing that would get them both in trouble, so that's why he stayed silent.

I clenched my fist as this continued for the next few minutes without stop. The general even switched the soldiers to make sure that they wouldn't hold back on the prince. It made me wonder why they were disciplining him so hard. He looked barely over eight years old.

"Amazing isn't it?"

The sudden voice made me flinch and hide behind the nearest thing which was a small fence. When I peaked out of my hiding spot, I saw a boy my age wearing a cloak to cover his black hair. However, if I looked closer, I could barely see some blonde hair hiding under the black strands. He held a weird puppet in his hand which stared at me with an eerie expression.

"W-what?"

"The orange haired boy over there."

I blinked then came out of my hiding spot to look back at Kaoru who was still trying to defeat one of the soldiers.

"Yeah, he is."

"It's such a shame that their are kids his age experiencing great hardships. I wonder what makes him keep going. What do you think, Beelzenef?"

The puppet nodded its head then clapped its arms together while moving its body around. I couldn't form the words to describe how weird it was as the boy smiled at his puppet then at me.

"Hmm, it looks like you're experiencing some hardships as well, but you've seem to given up already."

I flinched at his words as he suddenly frowned.

"That's a bit of a disappointment. You seem to have so much potential, but it's no use if you have no will to live your life to the fullest."

He turned his gaze back to Kaoru then chuckled as a smile formed on his lips. I looked at the prince to see that he finally won against the soldier. A wide grin was on his face and the same was for his friend. The general looked pleased then motioned for all of them to follow him back to their camp. When I looked back at the hooded boy, he was already walking away.

"Wait!"

I ran over to him and grabbed his shoulder to turn him around to face me.

"What do you mean I have potential. Potential to do what?"

His initial look of shock turned into an eerie smile that almost matched the one his puppet gave off.

"That's for you to find out yourself. But before you can do that, you have to keep fighting."

I took his words in mind then nodded to myself. He brushed off my hands then gave me a more sincere smile.

"I wish you good luck now."

The boy started to walk away but before he took more than five steps, he turned back around.

"By the way, I like the look in your eyes now. They look very enchanting compared to a few minutes ago."

His lips formed into another smile then turned away to continue his walk down the streets. This time, I didn't stop him as he disappeared into the crowd without another trace.

Back to present time (Hikaru's pov)

"Kaoru was the push you needed to make you keep going?"

"Well him and the boy with the puppet. They made me find a reason to fight on even with the hardships."

Kousei had another dazed expression on his face so I let him get lost in his thoughts. When I heard about the harsh treatment Kaoru was given, I wanted to tear something apart. He shouldn't have to live through that for more than a decade just to become a general. It's cruel and unusual punishment. However, there's nothing I can do about it now that it's in the past. What matters is that he's here by my side and we don't have to go through training anymore.

I looked up to see the sky orange and the sun starting to set. It was only a matter of time before Kaoru and the princess would arrive. The advisors said that he would be back later today so I was anxious to get be called to the front gate.

"Hey, Prince Hikaru?"

"Yes?"

"If there's anything you need to talk about. I'm here alright? I promise not to tease you. I can be serious when I want to, really."

His response made me chuckle.

"Right back at you."

I felt his finger poke my leg, so I looked at him. When he saw that I had his attention, he held up his pinky to me.

"What are we promising?"

"That we'll continue to fight on no matter what."

I smiled and locked his pinky with my own. As soon as we pulled away, a servant entered the garden then stopped to bow at me.

"Your highness, Prince Kaoru and Princess Haruhi have arrived at the front gate."


	5. Chapter 5

_Hello everyone, this is Akiboshi. I hope you're enjoying the story so far. If not then I'm sorry .m. _

_Oh, KIRI NO BASHOE, thank you for being the first to review this story. I was starting to think no one liked Hikaru's side of the story. Your review made me really happy. __Kousei is my OC, he isn't in the anime/manga. Sorry, I should have mentioned that when he first appeared. Who do you think he likes? I'm curious to what your answer is. Thanks again for reviewing. _

_To everyone else, I hope you like this chapter. Ciao._

_-Akiboshi_

I followed the servant to the front gate. Along the way, we met with my mother who was being brought to the same destination by her maids. It didn't take long before we arrived at the meeting place and wait for everyone to arrive. The maids and servants dispersed as Prince Kaoru came in on his horse along with the people who were with him. I held back a smile when I saw my brother ride in. He looked very handsome and dashing in his attire.

When they stopped, they got off their horse then helped the princess out of her carriage. She looked more mature than what I remember in my memories, but it didn't matter to me. I kept a calm composure as Princess Haruhi walked up to my mother and I with a polite smile.

"Good evening Queen Himiko, Prince Hikaru."

She curtsied elegantly and I smiled to be polite. I glanced at my mother then nodded when she gave me a knowing look.

"Good evening to you too Princess Haruhi. I welcome you to our kingdom on behalf of my husband who is too ill to greet you himself."

"I wish him good health your highness, and I am honored to be here in your presence."

"As we our with you, Princess."

I took her hand then gently placed my lips on her knuckles in a soft kiss while looking at her with another smile. Now I knew that I had no feelings for this girl other than friendship. She no longer made my heart skip a beat, so my young crush will stay just as it is. I do feel bad that I'll only be using her to become king, but I hope she'll understand.

"Shall I give you a tour around the castle for old times sake?"

"I'd be honored, Prince Hikaru."

She allowed me to lead her away from the crowd and through the hallways. Although I released her hand long ago, she kept holding it which only proved to annoy me. However, I decided to ignore it and continue to describe the areas we went through. Haruhi nodded every time I told her something, but it didn't seem like she was paying attention to what I was saying. I could only imagine what was going through her mind as we began to make our way into my favorite garden.

When we were situated near the end where the tree was, I felt her hand move to touch my face. I bit back a growl when she made her sudden movement. Although her hands were soft, it felt wrong.

"Princess Haruhi."

Her movements instantly stopped when I said her name in warning tone. Before I continued on, I reminded myself that I could only become king if I married Haruhi. If not her, then another princess. Or else the advisors will force this burden onto Kaoru, and I would never want him to experience that suffering. I bit my tongue and calmed my senses.

"I really missed you. I haven't seen you since so long. It seems like ages from the last time we met as kids."

She smiled at my words.

"It has been ages to me as well Prince Hikaru."

I forced myself to return her smile with one of my own then flinched when she leaned into my face. With her hand on my cheek, she pulled my face closer to hers. At the last moment, I moved my head to the side so that her lips would touch my cheek instead of my lips. Haruhi didn't seem to mind when she pulled back with a bright smile.

"Happy belated birthday, Prince Hikaru."

As she continued to smile, my lips cracked into one for a second before it turned into a straight line. I wished that I could be with Kaoru right now. Although I was able to see him for a moment, I wanted to spend time with him.

I held Haruhi's hand then lead her out of the garden to finish our tour. If I hurried now, I might have a chance to talk to him before we have dinner together. I made sure to slow myself down so that she wouldn't see it didn't look like I was trying to rush the tour. Because of that, it took longer to show her around the castle. The endless rooms were a hassle to explain since she kept asking questions to me. Thankfully, we finished at my bedroom doors and still gave me enough time to do whatever I wanted.

"Princess Haruhi, I think it would be best if we both rested before the family dinner."

"Isn't it better to rest after dinner?"

"It's been a long day for the both of us. Getting some sleep will help give you energy later on."

She stayed silent for a moment to think about it then nodded.

"I suppose so. But if it's possible, I'd like to spend more time with you."

When she looked down, I held her chin and lifted it up so that she was looking at me.

"Now that you're here, we have all the time in the world to be together."

I smiled at her and in response she chuckled before pulling away.

"You're such a charmer, Prince Hikaru. It's a wonder why you don't have a wife already."

The princess waved her hand at me before walking down the hall towards her room I showed her earlier. As soon as she was out of sight, I walked into my bedroom then climbed down the vines to the outside. Their were a few areas I had in mind that Kaoru might be in. The first place I went to was the kitchen because I had a feeling his sweet tooth never went away. Before I entered the room, I peeked in through the door to check if Chef Richard was in their. Thankfully he wasn't, but neither was Kaoru so I went to my next destination.

I went back into the castle while being weary of Princess Haruhi who might still be wandering the hallways. Thankfully, many years of sneaking away from my studies before the separation has made it easy for me to slip through the castle unnoticed. However, it doesn't hurt to be safe so I took my time to stay hidden. Once I was outside Kaoru's bedroom, I knocked on the door then walked inside. To my disappointment, he was no where to be found. I shook my head and stayed positive by continuing to the next place he might be.

Although it wasn't likely that he was in the library, I decided to check their anyway. Sometimes he liked to coop up in that place since reading sometimes helped him calm his nerves. When I entered the library, it was quiet and looked deserted. I walked down the rows checking for any signs of life, but found none in the end. A sigh left my lips as I tried to think of another place for him to be. He couldn't have gone out for another mission since it was already late. Where could he be?

"Looking for something?"

My body suddenly flinched and made me jump a few feet from where I was originally standing. A low chuckle brought me back to reality before a low growl escaped my lips. I looked at the silver ring on his finger, then knew that he wasn't kidding when he said that the advisors appointed him as the new keeper of the library.

"Kousei you bastard..."

I looked behind me and confirmed that it was indeed my former tutor.

"Says the person who left me behind without another word. That really hurt you know."

He faked a look of hurt then smiled while putting away the books that were in his hands. When I looked closer at his expression, their was a hint of sadness in his features.

"Hey, what's with the sad look? I didn't mean to leave you all alone, but you know I had to greet the princess and all."

Another chuckle erupted from his throat before he looked at me with a more sincere smile.

"It's not that."

When the last book was placed on the shelves, he turned away from me and started walking ahead. I silently followed him to a table stacked with books on numerous subjects. After picking up another pile of books, Kousei spoke again but in a much softer tone as he made his way towards a different row of books.

"I always thought, after I was dismissed from being your tutor, I would go back to my father to take over the company. So it was a surprise when the advisors gave me this position."

Their was a pause as he stopped to look at the books on his left.

"Part of me is happy that I can stay here and prolong my fate, but that means I can't see my lover."

A sigh left his lips.

"I miss him."

With one hand, he pushed some books aside then placed a new one in between them. This process continued for a while until their were no more books in his hands. I didn't know what to say to him since this came out of no where. It didn't occur to me that this was his feelings despite the happy charade he kept up.

"Besides that, what brings you here, prince?"

I shook my head to clear my thoughts then decided I will continue this conversation tomorrow. If he continued to act like a moping kid then I needed to kick him into shape or at least do something to cheer him up. For now, I just want to see Kaoru.

"I'm looking for my brother, Kaoru."

"Ah, him? Have you checked the stables?"

I internally smacked myself for not thinking about that in the first place.

"Thanks Kousei, I'll talk to you later alright?"

He waved his hand at me and I did the same before I left the library with hurried footsteps. When I headed inside the stables, I saw that all of the horses were their except for one. I went over to the empty stable and touched the gold plate named 'Silver'. A frown formed on my lips thinking that Kaoru must be taking a ride outside. Hopefully not on another mission. Thankfully, that wasn't the case since I heard an incoming neigh along with heavy footsteps.

I went into another stable and hid behind the horse while Kaoru came in with Silver. Once she was secured in her stable, he gave her a carrot. He looked very tired since his shoulders droop down and his eyes had a distant look in them. It seems that we would have to spend time with each other another time. Kaoru must be exhausted from bringing Haruhi here, and I don't want to push him more than he should.

After Silver finished her carrot, he patted her head then made his way out of the stables. I followed after him to make sure he rests, but noticed that he was heading towards his room. Just to be safe, I continued following him quietly to make sure. Once he entered his bedroom, I waited for a few minutes before going up to his door and opening it.

"Kaoru?"

I peeked my head inside to see him already tucked in his bed which made me feel better. He lifted his head up and smiled at me.

"Hey, dinner is soon you know. Aren't you going to eat?"

He shook his head and continued to smile.

"Not hungry, I ate too much sweets."

I walked over to his bed than sat on the side with a pout on my face. In my mind, I shouldn't be surprised that he brought sweets with him on his mission. I had to make sure that he's eating properly or else he'll get lazy.

"You shouldn't eat so much of those you know. You're gonna get sick one day because of that."

"Eh, I'll be fine. It takes more than that to bring me down you know."

Kaoru brought his hands up to show two thumbs up which made me chuckle. It was nice talking to him again. He always made me smile especially with his childish attitude.

"Just make sure to cut down on the sweets okay?"

"No promises, Hikaru."

I pouted. He was being stubborn again. Either that or he just wants to annoy me so that he could laugh at my reaction again.

"Kaoru."

"Jesh?"

"Promise me."

"But eating sweets is what I do."

This time, Kaoru pouted his lips at me and I inwardly sighed. Every time he made that face, I would always give in to him like I am now. But I need to be a responsible older brother and make sure that he isn't consuming too much sweets.

"Just one less sweet treat please, that's all I ask."

"Deal."

He shook my hand to seal the deal then laid on his bed. I felt my heart drop when he did that.

"You're going to sleep soon? We just started talking though."

"Maybe another time."

I held back a growl.

"Promise me that."

"If you do as well."

Kaoru held out his pink to me which I locked with my own.

"I promise that I'll hang out with my brother who loves sweets a lot soon."

"Same here."

I smiled and he did as well. I'll be sure to keep that promise, because Kaoru was the only one I love. No matter what, I'll make him happy for sure when we're spending time together like old times.

"Don't break that promise alright? Or else I'm going to be very sad."

When he said that, I held back a chuckle at how silly he sounded. I lifted the blanket up to his neck then tucked him in more securely.

"I won't, so don't worry."

At that moment, I felt that I needed to leave, so I headed to the door. Before I could take one step further, his hand grabbed my wrist and held me back.

"Story time first."

I looked back at him with a confused expression which made him smile. That was the last thing I thought he would say at a moment like this. Suddenly, he chuckled.

"Just kidding."

His hand slowly slipped away from mine which made me realize how cold I felt without his hand. I moved closer to the bed so I could get a better view of his face.

"Do you want me to stay here until you sleep?"

He shook his head.

"You have to go to dinner."

I almost sighed when he said that. It seems he's still as selfless as he was before he was taken away from me. To bad I'll just spoil him if he does that.

"I don't mind."

A smile instantly appeared on his face.

"Could you please then?"

"Of course."

I went over and got a chair to sit on. Once I was situated near his bed, I reached out a hand to straighten out a hair that was pointing off to the side weirdly. I looked back to my brother and smiled.

"Goodnight Kaoru."

His eyes closed as I continued to touch his hair and soon enough, I heard him snore softly. When I was sure that he was asleep, I leaned into his face until we were only inches apart. I laid one of my hands on the side of his face to hold me up as I hovered over his body. First, I stopped at his forehead and gently kissed it. I moved my head down to his cheek then placed my lips their. When he didn't stir from his sleep, I looked at his lips which were slightly parted.

While one of my hands was supporting me, I let the other one weave its way through his hair. To my surprise, it was very soft like an animal's fur. It made me want to cuddle him till he pushed me away.

"Ngh..."

I froze when I heard him groan. He slightly shifted his body from underneath me then tilted his head into my hand. When I started to move it away from his face, he unconsciously frowned then leaned into my hand again. I held back a laugh at how adorable he was. Their was no doubt that I was in love with Kaoru. If only we weren't born of royal blood, maybe we wouldn't have been separated from each other and I wouldn't need to marry a princess. Then, I might've been able to properly show my love to him.

However, we are stuck with our current lives. I didn't mind it as long as Kaoru is beside me, but I wanted to know what he feels about me. However, I knew that he wasn't going to return my feelings. He probably doesn't love me, and being away from the castle might have allowed him to experience love without me knowing it. Even though the chance maybe unlikely, I still feared it.

A sigh left my lips as I stroked his hair.

"I love you Kaoru. Even if you never return my feelings, all I wish for is your happiness."

I leaned down to kiss his lips before pulling away completely. The smile never left my face even as I exited the room, because of the joy I was feeling. I got to see Kaoru's sleeping face and feel his lips on my own. Although I was being completely pathetic, I didn't care. Everything I do is for Kaoru's happiness and nothing more. Someday, I'll let him know that, but today is not that day.


	6. Chapter 6

_Hi everyone, how are you doing? Again I want to say thanks to the people who reviewed. It really encourages me to keep writing since I know there are people who like what I'm creating. Reviews also make me want to spoil you guys by updating faster. _

_KIRI NO BASHOE: It is rather disappointing that there are only a few reviews, but the number is slowly rising. So I'm staying positive. I'm glad you liked the bedroom scene. It's hard to put in more scenes like that since I have to write around the story of My Prince Please Smile, but I'll do my best. Sorry it took this long to finish this chapter. _

_Pennington: I did have an idea for something like that, but I'm not sure how it will turn out. In my mind, I already have an idea on what's going to happen throughout the story, but I'll never know until I start writing that part. Sometimes I write something that I didn't plan for, so we'll see what happens. I hope you enjoy this chapter. _

_AwesomeGoldfish: You're very kind to say such words to describe my story, especially 'Pulchritudinous'. You don't know how much I wanted to finish the next chapter when I read such encouragements. Thank you._

_Anyhow, I hope you all like this chapter. Smile, and be happy. Ciao._

_-Akiboshi_

The next day I woke up early then couldn't go back to sleep. Normally, I would just go back to sleep, but today I stayed awake. This way, I could spend time with Kaoru when he wakes up. He's usually awake before me, so it wouldn't surprise me if he was up now. I dressed myself in my usual attire, then went outside. My first instinct was to go to the garden since it was our usual meeting place. Unfortunately, when I arrived their, Princess Haruhi was standing next to our tree.

Slowly, I backed away not to make any sudden noises, so that it wouldn't alert her to my presence. To my dismay, she turned around and saw me before I could make it out of the entrance. Upon seeing me, Haruhi smiled.

"Prince Hikaru, I'm amazed you're awake. You were always the last one to wake up as kids."

I let out an uneasy chuckle then walked over to stand by her side since I didn't have much of a choice now. It would be rude to just leave now anyway.

"And you? I don't remember you being a morning person."

She sighed softly before replying with a troubled look on her face.

"I couldn't sleep, so I decided to watch the sun rise."

"Could the reason for this be the nap you took before dinner?"

"Oh no, that's not it. There's just a lot on my mind. I believe that is what prevented me from sleeping last night."

"If I may ask, what is troubling you?"

Their was a pause of silence as she ran a hand through her hair. A sigh left her lips and the faint crinkles on her face made it look like she was much tired than she appeared. Whatever was troubling her must be pretty serious.

"To be honest, being betrothed is what's bothering me. For the past year, I have been avoiding the topic of marriage with my father and had succeeded for a while. Then he suddenly sends me here to connect our kingdoms with marriage. I'm glad that it's you Hikaru really since I actually knew you as a kid. But..I just...don't want to get married yet."

I stayed silent as we stood next to each other in the quiet garden. In my mind, I can understand why she doesn't want to go through with this marriage, but their are consequences. As the next generation, we are meant to be wedded to continue the royal bloodline. I can only imagine what her father is doing to keep her here.

"Why? Do you have a secret lover or something?"

Her form suddenly flinched at my question which made me pause. She looked at me with wide brown eyes and seemed to plead for me not to say anything. To be honest, I asked that question to lighten the atmosphere, but it did the opposite. Judging by her reaction, I hit the mark on the nail. Many questions soared through my mind, but I decided to only ask one.

"Is he alright with you marrying me?"

She was silent again for a period of time probably to decide if she should tell me or not. Last night, my mother confirmed that we were going to get married in a few weeks and we're now engaged. At that time, Haruhi didn't seem to argue with the idea, so it was official. Now that I see her looking very troubled, it seems that she's now regretting her decision.

"You don't have to tell me, I don't care about your love life anyway."

I stretched my arms out crack my shoulder muscles while walking towards the tree at the end of the garden. When I stopped beside the tree, I leaned against it then looked up at the sky.

"Just to let you know. I don't love you, and I'm also not into the idea of getting married at this age. Really, I don't mind that you have a lover."

When I didn't hear her say anything, I decided to continue.

"As the princess, you're just doing what's best for your kingdom which is marrying me. And I'm only doing this to become king. So basically we don't have to be love dovey with one another. Tell your lover that, and if he truly loves you then he'll understand."

I turned my head back to Haruhi then saw a small smile start to form on her lips.

"You turned into a softhearted person these past years, haven't you."

She said that more as a statement than a question, so I didn't say anything. I made an annoyed expression then walked back to her while rubbing the back of my head in somewhat embarrassment.

"Be quiet. That makes me sound like I'm a sissy or something. Besides, I'm not doing this for you."

As I stood by her side again, she chuckled at my response. When I took a closer look at her face, the crinkles were no longer their and she appeared more relaxed now. I nodded and said a 'good job' to myself before looking up at the sky. In the corner of my eye, she did the same thing with a bright smile on her face.

"Seriously, don't call me softhearted. You're the second person to say that in two days. It's getting annoying."

"That's because it's true, Hikaru."

"Oh, no longer calling each other by our titles now? How bold."

We both laughed together for a moment then continued to look at the sky. In the distance, I heard light footsteps approach this area. When I turned my head to the side, I saw Kaoru speed walking down the hall.

"Haruhi, I have some business to attend to. I'll see you later."

She nodded her head as I left the garden to catch up with Kaoru. I went through the long hallway first then turned the corner to see him vanishing another corner. This made me double my efforts by jogging the next hall to get to him. Our game of follow the leader continued for a while until he stopped at the entrance of the garden maze.

He stopped in front of the long maze, so I hid behind a pillar. All of a sudden, someone walked towards Kaoru and grabbed his hand. When I got a better look at his face, I saw that it was the same guy Kaoru was with before he left on his mission. Since Kaoru was surprised at his sudden presence, he spoke loud enough for me to hear.

"Oh hi there, Kyoya."

Kyoya. So that's his name. At that moment, I remembered Kousei talking about a boy named Kyoya who was with Kaoru in Kwalo town. He must have been training along with my brother since they looked about the same age. That explained why they were so friendly with one another. I just hoped that it was nothing more than friendship.

Judging by Kyoya's clothing, he looked like a high ranked knight. Still, it made me wonder why he was talking to Kaoru so early in the morning. I couldn't hear their conversation from where I was standing, so I continued to watch their movements. At one point, they started walking together to another destination. While they were chatting, I decided to follow them but stayed a safe distance away. Suddenly, Kyoya stopped and held Kaoru's cheek then wiped his mouth. I scratched the wall in frustration since he was touching him so carelessly. What made me angrier was that Kaoru didn't seem to fight him back, but rather invited his touch.

They shared a laugh before Kyoya took Kaoru's hand and lead him through the castle again. Even though I started running, I lost sight of them. I sighed in defeat then kicked the closest wall in anger. When I was able to control my temper, I started to wonder what the relationship with my brother and that knight was. They looked very close and talked very casual with each other. I know people in the army act like brother towards each other, but Kyoya touching Kaoru's cheek. It didn't seem natural.

I decided not to think further on it, so I went to the library. Maybe I can talk to Kousei about it. Getting a third person's perspective sounded like a good idea. But before that, I needed to make sure that he was alright. He didn't seem that happy yesterday.

"Hey Kousei, are you here?"

My voice echoed around the grand library before the person I was looking for poked his head from the back row of books. He smiled as I walked over to him.

"Is there something you're looking for, Prince?"

"Just call me Hikaru already. It's weird between us friends anyway."

He let out a chuckle then took a seat on chair while I sat on the sofa.

"What do you need, Hikaru."

"Well, I want to make sure you're okay. I did say I was going to talk to you about it again."

His smile dropped for a moment before appearing again in a split second.

"Be sure to tell the truth. I hate lies."

I made sure to say that in a serious tone, but he simply smiled in response. For a moment he just looked to the side appearing deep in thought. I lazily looked at the books piled on top of the coffee table in front of me then picked up one of them. The title was _Hamlet _and it sounded familiar to me so I decided to open it.

"There's not much to say, I miss him, but don't worry about me. I was planning on escaping the castle to see him for a bit before coming back."

"Take me with you when you do that. It's been a while since I've been out of this prison anyway."

"I'll keep that in mind."

I turned to look at the back cover then saw no brief description on what the story was about.

"So are you sure you're alright? If there's anything you want to talk about, I'm here."

"I'm shocked. Hikaru is turning into a kindhearted gentleman each passing day."

A low growl left my lips as I threw a pillow at his head. Kousei easily caught the object then wrapped his arms around it in a tight hug. When his eyes locked onto the book in my hands, his smile looked different all of a sudden.

"That book is about a young man who struggles to decide whether to fulfill his duty or run away like a coward. Very beautiful, yet pitiful to read. I do recommend it."

"I'm not in a reading mood, and...I think there's something I need to talk about."

"Are you finally going to reveal the identity of your secret lover?"

He said that in a teasing manner, but stopped when he noticed that I wasn't responding.

"Really? With your stubborn nature, I would have thought this talk would be another month from now."

I bit my lip as I placed the hardcover novel back on the table.

"_Patience is a virtue, patience is a virtue, patience is a virtue." _

When I was completely calm, I tried to start the conversation again. This time, at my pace.

"First of all, the one I'm in love with is my brother, Kaoru. I know that for sure now."

Kousei nodded his head and didn't seem bothered at all that I was in love with my brother. I was expecting at least a look of shock, but he simply moved his head up and down. He wasn't kidding when he said that he doesn't judge others. It made me relieve that I was talking to someone who is willing to understand me.

"So then, what's troubling you?"

I clenched my fists when I remembered the moment he shared with Kyoya a few minutes ago. Although it was a simple gesture, their body language and facial expression made it seem like it was more.

"I think he already has someone else in his life."

"Then, what are you going to do?"

"That's the thing, I don't know. My mind says to go to him and express my feelings while trying to get rid of the competition. Then my heart...it says to leave him alone since he was happy with the person he's already with."

When I thought back at how calm he looked with Kyoya, it made me jealous that it wasn't because of me. I wanted to be the reason he smiles again. This morning, he seemed so frantic walking through the hallway alone, but it disappeared as soon as that knight stepped in.

"How about, you tell your feelings to Kaoru. Let him decide who he wants to be with."

I looked down at my hands to think about what he said.

"But what if wants to be with me and the marriage to Princess Haruhi ends up tearing us apart?"

"Tell him about the marriage first then. Ease him in on the situation, then prove to him that he will be the only one in your heart."

"I don't know, Kousei. I just got him back. I don't want to hurt him."

We sighed in unison then let another silence wash over us. I was thinking about going through with his idea, but I'm not sure what the result might be. Their are many possible outcomes and only a few that seemed to be in my favor. I felt that I needed to be careful because I don't know what Kaoru has been through for the past decade. He seems like the same person who was taken from me, but it doesn't change the fact that he's now a general and more mature than before.

"Then let's start with this. Are you fine with telling him how you feel?"

I took the pillow next to me and squeezed it. To be honest, I think I wouldn't mind if he rejected me. Although I won't be his source of happiness, at least he found someone who is. I've been by my self for so long, I can handle being alone if it means that Kaoru would be happy. Still, I continued to wish that he would stay by my side. I know that I shouldn't be selfish, not when Kaoru has always thought about me but I can't help it. The want to be with him is strong.

"I'm fine with telling him, his reaction is what I'm worrying about."

"Then be a man, and tell him how you feel."

As the older brother, I know I shouldn't be having these feelings for my younger brother, but I couldn't help it. Our personalities may be opposites in some aspects, but we fit together that way. However, I won't know how he feels unless I say them. I don't have much to lose so I might as well tell him.

"Alright, I will."

Kousei smiled then threw the pillow he was hugging at me. I caught it with ease then sent it flying back to his face. This only made him throw it back to me so knocked the pillow aside with the one I was hugging.

"Oh, be sure to tell him about the marriage first. Then later on, you can show him how you really feel."

"Yea, maybe I should buy something for him. What do you think I should get?"

"Hikaru, this is your brother we're talking about. Why are you asking me when you've known him longer?"

"I'm just asking for ideas. If you haven't noticed, gift ideas aren't my strong points."

"Right, being a stubborn softie is."

I threw the pillow I was holding to the side then walked over to him with clear frustration. He didn't sense or see my annoyance so he continued to relax on the sofa as I continued to approach him. This allowed me to grab his neck then grind my knuckles against his temple. In response, he started wailing as he moved around uncomfortably in my death grip.

"Rape! Rape!"

"Oh be quiet already you annoying book keeper. You shouldn't have tested my patience in the first place."

"But it's fun to tease you, I can't help it."

I dropped him on the ground which resulted in him groaning in pain. His constant teasing made me wonder if he was a masochist. He knows that I won't seriously hurt him, but I'm starting to think I should just to teach him a lesson.

"I'm going to go walk around the castle. Thanks for chatting with me, Kousei."

He smiled up to me from where he was laying then waved his hand.

"Anytime Hikaru. I'm always here for a friend."

I smiled back to him then left the library. Their were a lot of books on the tables, so I didn't want to further hinder his work. He had a lot to do, so I decided to end our conversation. I'm glad that I had him to talk to. I was really fortunate to meet someone like him.

As I walked through the halls, I didn't have a particular destination in mind, so I continued to go wherever my feet took me. After a while, I ended up at the garden where their was no maze. I walked over to the tree then looked up to see how high the top was. It seemed liked the tree was getting taller and taller every time I visited.

"Time waits for no one after all."

I jumped up and tried to grab the branch above me but failed. This didn't discourage me from trying again, so I kept at it until I was hanging on the branch. I brought my feet up and wrapped it around the branch then slowly moved until I was sitting on the branch. Climbing a tree was much harder than I remembered. Usually it only took two tries to get up here as a kid. I was really out of shape.

At that moment, I started thinking about how I was going to prove to Kaoru that I love him. Telling him about the marriage will throw him off for sure, so I needed something to capture his heart. The question was, what does he like. I know he absolutely adores sweets, so I was thinking of getting him a handmade dessert. But I felt that I needed something more. Desserts last only for a moment, I want something that he can continue to look at to remember me by.

"Hikaru, what are you doing up there?"

When I looked down, I saw Haruhi stare up at me.

"What does it look like I'm doing? I'm climbing a tree."

"Why am I not surprised."

She said that as a statement than a question, but I didn't mind. It was funny that the next king was climbing a tree so I let her laugh at me for a while.

"Hikaru, thanks for the earlier. I feel much better now."

"Yeah sure."

That's when I got an idea.

"Hey Haruhi, what gift would you get for your secret lover to show that you love him?"

The question stunned her for a moment. It looked like she wanted to ask me something , but decided against it. However, it appeared that she was still curious as to why I asked the question.

"Well, I found a really nice ring with designs that seem to fit his personality. It was elegant yet cute in my opinion."

I nodded and liked the idea of giving Kaoru a ring.

"Can you describe what the ring looks like?"

"I have a matching one actually."

She moved her hand around her neck then pulled out a necklace with a ring attached to it that was hiding under her dress. When I got a closer look at it, I understood now what she meant by elegant yet cute. I instantly knew that I wanted one for Kaoru.

"Do you know where I can get one like it?"

"If you want, I can send word to one of my friends to get one for you."

I smiled then jumped off of the branch to land on the grass. As soon as I was on the ground, I pulled her into a hug.

"Thanks."

She chuckled a little then returned my embrace.

"No problem Hikaru. Anything for a friend."

We pulled away from each other then shared a smile.

"I'll go write the letter right now. Talk to you later?"

"Of course."

We both said our goodbyes before she left the garden with hurried footsteps. I'm glad that she didn't ask any questions. She was much more understanding than I thought she was. It made me realize that their are good people in this world, it's just hard to come across them. But once you meet one, then they'll have your back no matter what.

I decided to change my location so I left the garden. Again, I didn't have a destination in mind so I allowed myself to walk around the castle. I'm glad that I no longer had to be stuck in my room with my studies. It's nice to be able to walk around the place to get some fresh air. However, I still felt restricted because I was confined in this castle with no hope of living outside of it.

As long as I have people like Kaoru or Kousei around, I'll be able to get through this lifetime. I just hope in the next life, I'll be able to spend time with Kaoru, just the two of us. Or at least be able to see him in a normal environment. I never want to be born a prince again, there's too much stress involve.

"Hikaru!"

I looked up and stopped in my tracks to see Kaoru waving at me. A smile instantly formed on my lips at the sight of him without that knight by his side. Before I could wave back, he held a small bag by his teeth then started climbing down the vines nearby.

"Hey don't do that! It's dangerous!"

After I said that, I knew I was being hypocritical because I always used that method to get down. However, Kaoru didn't need to know that. He looked back at me then jumped the rest of the way down and landed perfectly on his feet.

"Yeah, you're going to need more than that to convince me to do otherwise you know."

I sighed. Even if I prepared a speech to convince him, he would continue to do what he wanted. He suddenly held out the bag he was once holding by his teeth in front of me.

"Look! Look! They have bread with chocolate in it nowadays! Try one!"

The bright face he was making when he mentioned talked about the chocolate bread made me want to pinch his cheeks. He was so cute whenever sweets were involved. I remember being jealous of a cupcake when we were little since he put so much attention to it than me.

"Why am I not surprised that you escaped from the castle again."

He held out the actual bread to me, so I took a bite out of it. I blinked once then twice to savor the rich chocolate flavor in the bread. Now, I can understand why he was so happy about this new discovery, it was absolutely delicious. I was very happy that he saved some for me. He was as selfless as ever.

"It taste sweet."

"I know right? Is so good, I'll guide you to town so we can get more next time."

I smiled and he returned it with one of his own. The fact that he offered to do such a thing even though he has Kyoya, made me happy. It shows that he still cares about me and wants to maintain our brotherly connection.

"I'd take you now, but we're probably going to have lunch in an hour or so. Then again, you need to eat more by the looks of it."

His sudden comment on my eating habits made me laugh. He never ceases to make me smile or laugh. I know that I can always count on him to lighten my mood. His carefree and silly nature made him look so pure. Even though I know he has a mischievous side whenever we put our minds together to form a prank.

"You're cute."

He blinked and a faint tint of red appeared on his face. It made me want to hug him to death, but I held myself back.

"Are you going to eat the rest of your choco bread?"

"Choco bread?"

"Yea, chocolate sounds too long, so choco bread."

I really wanted to pinch his cheeks, he was being too cute for his own good. I've never thought his silly attitude would turn make him appear more adorable than usual.

"Well then. You can hav-"

"On second thought never mind, I'll just take another cookie from the kitchen."

"Don't get caught."

He smiled briefly.

"I'll try not to for you, Hikaru."

I smiled and was glad that I had a brother like Kaoru. Even if I had the choice to switch him with a better sibling, I would always choose Kaoru. Their is no one that can replace him, or his sweet nature. I'll make sure that he experiences happiness, it's the least I can do as his big brother.


	7. Chapter 7

_Greetings everyone, I hope you're enjoying the season of autumn. I absolutely love the cold. It's a good excuse to cuddle with someone you know? Anyhow, I'm just warning everyone now that I'm not going to be updating my stories that often until the month of December. Some important stuff for school is coming up so I won't be able to work on new chapters for my stories. I did work on My Brother, Be Happy so you can expect one more chapter after this before I go quiet for awhile. _

_Also, KIRI NO BASHOE I'll think about making an alternative ending, but it all depends on the time I have to make a chapter for it. I'll try my best, but I can't offer much at the moment. I might just continue this tragic course, but we'll see._

_That's it for now. Ciao._

Many days later, I was walking once again through the hallway by myself. This time however, I had a destination in mind which was the garden Kaoru and I always went to. The past few days, I have been checking in on Kousei to make sure that he was doing his job. Other times, I would hang out with Haruhi and talk about whatever came to our minds.

The thing that made me upset was that I haven't been able to spend time with Kaoru. Even though he was by my side watching over me as my bodyguard, he is no where to be found. Every time I was meeting with someone, he would suddenly disappear. He would appear only for a moment to check on me before blending in with the background. Even when we have a family dinner, he would always skip out on it.

These events, have made me think that he's spending time with Kyoya while he watches over me to make sure I'm alright. It would make sense since, like Kousei, he wouldn't be open with a relationship with another man. Who knows what the advisors might do to him. Even though he's now a general, they still had power over him until I become king. It made me want to get this wedding over with.

So before then, I decided to tell Kaoru about the marriage now. That's why, I was looking for him around the castle after excusing myself from dinner. It was difficult not having a meal with Kaoru. Now that he's back, I felt sad whenever he doesn't attend the dinner. It's like he's avoiding me, but now I'm putting my foot down. When I entered the garden, I went over to the tree and saw him sitting on a tall branch. He looked very deep in thought.

"Kaoru!"

As soon as I called out to him, his head snapped to my direction.

"Hi Hikaru."

I waved at him which made him smile a little while waving back. Somehow, it doesn't seem as energetic or genuine as before. It made me wonder what was on his mind. Maybe he wanted to see Kyoya. Knights are only allowed inside the castle when they're on duty, so I could understand if he was missing him right now.

"Well, are you going to come down or not?"

"I'm too lazy though."

This made me sigh a bit. He must be feeling tired right now if he was being stubborn. Since he wasn't going to come down, I decided to go up. So far, I was doing a good job of getting on one of the branches, so I continued my journey to Kaoru. At one point, my foot ended up slipping when it didn't have a firm base to push off from. Thankfully, Kaoru grabbed my hand at the last second, then pulled me onto the branch he was sitting on.

"Be careful next time, you could have gotten hurt you know."

He scolded me in a firm tone which made me sigh.

"Yea, yea. I don't get it though. You make it look so easy sometimes even when we were kids."

Kaoru chuckled then looked up at the starry sky. The only reason why I was able to climb a tree when we were little was because Kaoru showed me how to. He knew the correct way to get on a branch then go to the next one. I thought after a few years, I would be able to do it by myself, but I guess I was wrong.

"Anyway, why are you here?"

"To spend time with you of course."

I bit back a frown when he asked that. It sounded like he was trying to get rid of me.

_"Do you not want me here with you, Kaoru?" _

"But shouldn't you go back to the dining room? Everyone should still be eating right now."

He answered me in such a different tone, it made me a bit angry. His shoulders looked tense and he hasn't kept eye contact with me for the past few minutes. What was making him so agitated that he has to snap at me?

"_I guess I should just tell him now."_

"Kaoru."

This time, Kaoru looked at me and for a second, I thought he looked scared. His eyes searched my face for some kind of sign.

"Yea?"

"What would you do, if I said I was getting married?"

He blinked once then smiled at me.

"I'd say, 'good job, you found the person who you're going to be with for the rest of your life'."

I kept a serious expression on my face so he couldn't see my true feelings. It looks like he's still trying to be a good brother, so he's being supportive. I didn't know what to think for a moment. My mind then started imagining that he wouldn't return my feelings even if I tell him.

"Kaoru."

His eyes continued to stare at mine.

"Yea?"

"I'm going to get married soon."

I allowed a silence to drift over us so that he had time to take it in. His face looked like it was in shock, but I couldn't find a trace of any other emotion. The next time he spoke, it was in a soft tone.

"Oh...well that's great!"

His lips slowly twitched into a smile while his eyes started to get glassy. It looked like he wanted to cry, but he tried to hide it by looking at the sky. To bad for him, I already saw it.

"_Are you so happy that you're crying? Is it cause you can focus on Kyoya if Haruhi is by my side?" _

I was in such deep thought that I almost didn't hear him say 'good job'. The rest came out in a bit of a whisper. I mentally kicked myself then started to pay attention to Kaoru. He was still looking at the sky. The stars twinkled in his eyes, making him look so innocent.

"So, I'm guessing Princess Haruhi is the lucky girl? Hahaha, she's perfect isn't she?"

The way he was talking made me want to shake my head and grab his shoulders to say that it's all a lie.

"_Why are you so happy that I'm getting married? Shouldn't you at least argue about it?" _

At that moment, my mind was such a big mess. I didn't know what to do or think anymore. Everything was so confusing. Normally, I would have thought Kaoru would at least say something about it then ask why. He was being too accepting right now. I looked at Kaoru and tried to stay calm while looking composed right now. Suddenly, he smiled again and pinched my cheeks. The action held no life in them, and his eyes looks so distant.

"Hey, why the silent treatment? We should be celebrating now right? Here, I think I saw a pretty flower on the other side of this tree. You should give it to Princess Haruhi as a gift!"

"_Are you just saying all that to be a good brother? I guess it's not the right time to tell you how I really feel. Not when your mind is distracted of him."_

I felt like punching the tree, but if I did that, then Kaoru would know that something was wrong with me. But somewhere in my mind, it was telling me to be selfish, just so my brother would look at me and only me. I wanted him to devote his attention to me and worry of my wellbeing. Somehow, I couldn't bring myself to do it. I vowed that I would let Kaoru be happy, so I'll go along with things this time.

When he came back on the branch I was sitting on, he handed me a lily. I kept my eyes on him but thought of how the lily was like Kaoru. Innocent, beautiful, and sweet all at the same time. However, if I wasn't careful, then I'll be taken down by the poison hiding within the beautiful plant.

"So Hikaru."

He sat farther away from me this time which only made me feel lonely and sad. Kaoru would have never done this in the past. My mind kept wondering what is making him build a wall around him.

"_Why are you pushing me away? I don't understand._"

"When is this wedding?"

"Next Sunday."

I numbly answered his question as I continued to think 'why' in my head.

"Ah, right then."

My hands gently held the flower so that it wouldn't be destroyed or harmed by the slightest movements I made. In the corner of my eye, I saw Kaoru hug himself and shiver. He must have been cold, it was night after all. I'm sure he must be wanting Kyoya to come in and warm him up. I smiled bitterly to myself as I heard footsteps in the distance. The noise got closer and closer to where we were until it suddenly stopped.

"Hikaru!"

I felt mixed emotions when I realized it was Haruhi calling us. Somehow, I was relieved and upset at the same time. I didn't think much about it, but decided to see what she wanted. When I looked at Kaoru, I smiled apologetically and in return he himself smiled. Maybe I should just tell him how I feel, there's nothing I could lose after all. But when I opened my mouth to say it, my mind told me not to be a burden to him so I closed my mouth.

When I landed on the ground, I gave the lily to Haruhi which made her smile. I smiled as well, but it was a fake one this time. It didn't feel right to give it to her, the flower suited Kaoru more. Haruhi was more like an orchid, but that didn't matter. I held her hand in mine then lead her out of the garden while whispering to her.

"Let's talk somewhere else."

She nodded slightly then allowed me to guide her to another location. I wanted to let Kaoru have some time to himself since he hasn't had that in a while. It seems like he doesn't want me to be with him. Right now, I didn't belong by his side. Soon enough, we ended up at the maze garden where we started to go through the twist and turns of the tall hedges.

"What did you want to talk about, Haruhi?"

"I just got a reply back from my friend. He says that he has a ring similar to mine. He's going to be in this town for a while, so you can go pick it up tomorrow."

I didn't say anything for a while after she said that because I was having second thoughts of getting Kaoru a gift. He might get angry at me or take the ring as a joke rather than a confession.

"Hikaru? Did you hear what I said?"

"Yea, I did. I'm sorry, there's a lot on my mind right now."

"Did you have a fight with your brother?"

A sigh left my lips and I felt tired all of a sudden. I didn't imagine telling Kaoru about the wedding would be so stressful. My mind was still jumbled up right now and it's making me second guess all of my previous decisions. I might give up the idea of confessing to him now.

"Hikaru."

I looked at Haruhi who stopped walking and commanded my attention from calling my name. Her hands were resting on her hips told me that she was annoyed at the moment.

"I don't know what has gotten into you, but you better snap out of it. You look like you're fighting a lost cause, but it will be if you give up now. Go and be a man already or else I won't marry you."

She puffed her cheeks then started walking the other direction. When she turned the corner, I put her words into consideration. I guess I'll go get the ring and see what happens from their. It doesn't hurt to try. I isntantly redirected my thoughts so that I wouldn't change my mind.

Before I took a step towards the exit, I saw Haruhi walking back to me. She stopped a feet away then crossed her arms over her chest.

"Are you going to be a man now?"

"Yes, my princess."

"Good, now can you help me out of this maze?"

I chuckled remembering that not many people knew this maze as well as Kaoru and I.

"Of course."


	8. Chapter 8

_Hi there, it's been a long week. I managed to finish this chapter before the real challenges start. This will most likely be the last update until December. Or I'll post one short chapter for this story before going into hibernation. I really like writing this story so that's why I'm getting these chapters done. _

_KIRI NO BASHOE, so sorry that you had to wait two weeks for a short chapter. At least you only had to wait a few days for this one. Also, I tried to make this one longer to make up for it. Hmm, I never given much thought about the people who want Haruhi and Hikaru dead. Maybe I should make a big sequal about that to 'My Prince, Please Smile' story after Kaoru leaves. Hmm, I'm starting to like that idea. _

_That's all for now folks. Ciao._

The next morning, I woke up early so I can get into town to pick up the ring. Haruhi was kind enough to give me directions, now all I needed to do was escape the castle. When I was dressed for the occasion, I hurried through the castle in hopes of seeing Kousei. Since I was wearing a black cloak around my clothes to hide my identity, I looked like some kind of thief. Thankfully, not many people were awake so I was able to go to the library unseen. Before I could open the doors, a sudden voice stopped me.

"What are you doing?"

I flinched then quickly turned my head around to see Kousei looking at me with his usual smile. His spontaneous appearances made me think that he was a ninja in his past life.

"Someday, I'm going to get you back for these moments."

He simply grinned then took in my appearance.

"What's with the cloak?"

"I'm planning on going to town today to pick something up."

"Oh perfect timing, I was going to look for you since I'm visiting my lover today."

"Then shall we?"

I offered him my hand and he chuckled while taking it with his own.

"We shall."

Grabbing a hold of my hand, Kousei guided be to the stables where a back exit was revealed. Judging by how worn out the area was, Kaoru must have use this passage to get out and see Kyoya. When we went through the passage, we had to go through numerous set of trees before we arrived at the edge of town. At that time, Kousei let go of my hand. I pulled the hood over my head then made sure that my face was hidden.

"It might be too early for my lover to be awake, so how about we go finish your errand first?"

"Sure."

I handed him the instructions that Haruhi gave me and let him lead the way since he had more experience in town than I did. As we walked through the crowds, it surprised me that there were many people walking the streets. The sun was barely in the sky, yet the townspeople were already doing their daily routine. When we were in the market place, it was like all hell broke loose. Many people were shouting and bargaining with each other while others were advertising their products. The business seems to be doing well, so I'm glad that our economy was on the right track. More competition meant lower prices which allowed more people to buy things.

"So, what is it that you're picking up?"

"You'll see soon enough."

"Is it for your brother?"

When I didn't answer, he chuckled loudly.

"Did you tell him about the wedding?"

I paused for a moment to recollect the memories of last night. So many things happened at that time, I still didn't know what to make of it. Mixed feelings also arose in the pit of my stomach.

"Yes, but he responded weirdly. He was happy, but sad at the same time."

"Could it be that he doesn't want your attention to change from him to the princess?"

"I don't know. It didn't seem that way to me. It almost felt like he was happy that I had someone, since he himself had another."

"Will you still confess to him?"

"I'm starting to think I shouldn't."

Kousei lightly bumped into my shoulder.

"Hey, why are you moping around? The Hikaru I know would brush this off and stick to his decision cause that's the stubborn guy he is."

I sighed and tried to feel better with the pep talk he was giving me. However like Haruhi's, his will probably last for an hour or so. These past days of not being able to spend time with Kaoru is taking a toll on me. I miss being by his side, laughing with no care in the world. The little things he does have so much impact on me. I wonder if he notices this.

"Are you going keep your word, Hikaru?"

"We'll see. Let's just get the ring first."

When I mentioned the ring, his eyes widened. Instantly, I knew what he was thinking, so I cut him off before he could say anything.

"No I'm not proposing to him. It's not likely that he'll accept it anyway, so I'm just giving it to him as a gift."

"And tell him your feelings?"

"That's the plan for now."

I cracked my lips in a small smile to cheer myself up. It surprised me at how lethargic I was being. Just a few days ago, I was confident in everything I did. The way I was acting now is something I didn't predict. This just shows how much Kaoru had an effect on me. After realizing his heart may belong to another, their intimate moments make me want to give up and let them be happy. It's weird that I wasn't going to try fighting for him. I must be trying to run away from the reality that I'm not the one he wants.

"Hey Hikaru, we're here."

Kousei entered a store while I followed behind him. Once inside, we saw a red haired guy with his back to us as he looked through the items on the shelves. I see Kousei take in a large amount of air, so I covered my ears.

"CASANOVA!"

As I predicted, Kousei screamed, causing the guy behind the counter to jump a few feet in the air. He flailed his arms and caused some of the items on the shelf to fall on the ground along with the one he was holding. Thankfully since I covered my ears, Kousei's shout was dulled to a normal inside voice. When the red haired guy calmed down, I saw that he was visibly shaking. I removed my hands from my ears as the guy turned his attention to us. I immediately recognize him from the ball a few days ago.

"First...it's Kasanoda. Second...was it really necessary to yell out my name?"

"You looked so deep in thought, I couldn't resist~"

Casanova gave Kousei a deadly glare, but he didn't flinch one bit. I held back a laugh since it would probably anger the redhead even further. The atmosphere didn't feel tense at all in my opinion, but rather relaxing. Leave it to Kousei to break the ice in his own way.

"What do you people want anyway? I'm very busy."

The red haired male started picking up the items on the floor then place them in the correct location. I walked up to the counter then placed a piece of paper on the counter.

"I'm here to pick up a ring under the name 'Haruhi'."

He looked at the paper then to me. When he took in my appearance, his eyes widened then went back to normal.

"Didn't think that the crown prince would be the one who wanted this. I'm honored."

Casanova went through a door to the back then returned with a box in his hand. He placed the object on the counter before opening it to reveal the ring that Haruhi was talking about. It was a tungsten carbide ring with intricate line designs along the middle of it.

"If I may ask, at the ball you said your family was a blacksmith. I never knew that you do jewelry as well."

"My uncle is the one that does jewelry. I wanted a new change in pace, so I'm staying here with him for a few weeks."

I continued to admire the ring while picturing it on Kaoru's finger. There was just one thing that I wanted to add to it.

"Can you do me a favor?"

Casanova nodded. I leaned into his ear then whispered my request to him.

"Sure, I can do that. Come back to pick it up in a few hours."

I placed the ring back in its box then paid him for the jewelry.

"Thanks Kasanoda. We'll see you later."

Kousei and I waved at the red head then walked out onto the streets. The area seemed much more crowded than a few minutes ago which made me annoyed. I hated crowds even though I'm forced to be around them in balls numerous times. It always felt suffocating to be in them.

"So, are we going to meet your lover now?"

"Yes we are. Unless you want to postpone your meeting another time."

"Are you kidding me? I'm not passing this opportunity. I want to see the person that can keep up with your crazy, childish nature."

To further prove my point, he started running and jumping once in a while through the crowd. I sighed and starting running after him which was easier said than done. It looked like he was going full speed ahead. He must really want to see his lover. At one point, he finally stopped, so I paused in my running to catch my breath. My body was really out of shape.

_"As soon as we get back to the castle, I'm going to start exercising again._"

"Hikaru, come on he's over there arm wrestling someone."

I felt Kousei drag my arm over to a couple of people who were arm wresting. The two who were engaged in a heated battle looked like they were enjoying the attention from the people who were shouting words of encouragement around them. I looked at the competitor who looked more gruff and had a well built body. My eyes went to the his opponent then saw that he was wearing a hood that covered most of his bangs.

When I looked back and forth at them, I was thinking that the bigger guy was Kousei's lover cause he could maintain his actions. The other one, he seemed to be the exact opposite of the brown haired male. Kousei was all about sunshine and happiness, this hooded guy seemed to be interested in voodoo and darkness. I didn't think that he had a chance to win against the other guy. I'm just surprised that he managed to last this long against him.

_Bam_

Their was a moment of silence when everyone heard the bam, then a chorus of shouts emerged. I looked at the table again and noticed that the one who won was the guy in the hood. Kousei's boyfriend must be so disappointed right now.

"Hito wan wan, you did it! I'm so proud of you!"

I felt my jaw drop when I saw Kousei engulf the hooded man in a hug.

"You can't be serious..."

Kousei pulled him out of the chair then to me. His eyes sparkled brightly as he held onto the man tightly.

"This is Umehito Nekozawa, my lover."

I blinked once then twice as Nekozawa looked back at me with a curious look. A few something suddenly clicked into my mind when I continued to stare at him.

"Wait, Nekozawa? Isn't that the guy you were trying to introduce to me at the ball?"

"Yeah, but Hito wan wan doesn't like being in brightly lit places, so he escaped from the ballroom while I was looking for you. Then when I did manage to bring him back, you were gone."

When I continued to take in the hood and cloak covering the man's whole body, I noticed another thing.

"Wait a minute, is this the same guy you met at Kwalo town? Don't tell me you fell in love with him from that meeting."

"I couldn't help it, Hito wan wan became my strength."

"Kousei, please don't call me 'Hito wan wan'."

"But it fits you so well! Don't you know how hard it is for me to say 'Nekozawa'? I barely got the name out when I was mentioning you to him."

"If you don't drop the 'wan wan' I will move somewhere far away so you can never see me ever again."

Kousei's face instantly drop to a pout. He looked like a kicked puppy.

"Hito, you're so mean."

I can see now why Nekozawa is able to be around Kousei. He knows how to handle him if he gets too out of control. I guess the two of them being polar opposites can work in their favor.

"Oh yeah Hito, meet my friend."

Nekozawa looked at me closely.

"Even though you look like your brother, your eyes are different. He has more passion while you barely have a spark."

"Hito, don't be rude."

"Why are both of you in town anyway. Shouldn't at least one prince be in the castle?"

This immediately caught my attention.

"Kaoru is here?"

"Yes, I was just talking to him a few minutes ago."

He didn't even flinch when I grabbed his shoulders.

"Where is he now?"

"I believe he went that way."

As soon as Nekozawa pointed in the direction toward the town square, I immediately broke into a run.

"Hey wait, Hikaru? Where are you going?!"

I ignored Kousei's calls and continued going to my next destination careful to keep my hood on. Knowing that Kaoru was here, I needed to see him. I didn't make any second thoughts since the only thing on my mind was to find my brother.

_"What was he doing in town? Is he with Kyoya now?_"

A bitter feeling erupted in my stomach, but I bit back the pain. I needed to see for myself if he was here. In a few moments, I was in the main town square and saw that people were jumping around in a group dance. I stepped back a few steps so I wasn't pulled into the song then looked around for my brother. It wasn't hard for me to spot someone in a hooded cloak similar to mine then catch a glimpse of orange underneath it. When I saw the calm expression he was making, I felt happy that he was enjoying himself.

As I watch him dance along with everyone else, I let my eyes wander over the crowd. Their I saw Kyoya outside of the circle with a blond haired man standing right next to him. At one point, the blonde pushed his friend into the dance with a smirk. Although it didn't look like the knight was enjoying it, he started to flow with the dance he was forced into. Once the song came to an end, he stood by Koaru hand in hand. I bit back a growl as they walked away from the group while the next song started. The blonde man joined them, so that made me feel a bit better. But that didn't change the fact that Kaoru was with Kyoya.

After a few minutes, I saw Kaoru tackled Kyoya with a happy expression. I scratched my nails against the wall next to me to calm my anger. Although I should have expected this, I was still angry. Kaoru should be back in the castle and spending time with me. It didn't feel right when he was by the knight's side. He's been paying too much attention to him these past few weeks.

Suddenly, my heart intervened. It told me to look at how happy Kaoru was with Kyoya and how sad he would be if I were to come between them. I shook my head and focused on Kaoru and Kyoya as the blond man left them. They started to walk through town talking non stop while I watched them from afar. I want to hear what they were saying, so I made sure to stay a safe distance away. For all I know, they could be talking about their next meeting together.

At one point, I saw Kyoya wrap his arms around Kaoru then pull him away from the quiet street and into an ally. I quickly followed, then hid right at the corner before taking a peek at them. They were now facing each other, but were still engaged in a hug. Since they were close by, I could faintly hear what they were saying.

"Please Kaoru, just stay with me for a while longer. I miss you so much."

Kyoya placed his head on Kaoru's shoulder then tightened his hold on him. I slowly scratched the wall next to me since I couldn't handle Kyoya touching him so easily. However, I was taken aback when he pushed him away while looking to the side.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't act so selfish especially to you."

I frowned then looked away for a moment. Looking at him now, he doesn't seem like that bad of a guy. Even though he could have forced Kaoru to stay, he was letting him go back to the castle. I frowned then realized that I should have given this guy a chance to prove his worth. The first time I saw him, I immediately thought he was a bad guy. Just from hearing a few words from him now made me rethink about things.

When I looked back at the duo, Kyoya had his hand petting Kaoru's hair before leaning in to kiss his forehead. I quickly turned away then started walking back to where I left Kousei and Nekozawa. In that few moments, I let my heart win the battle over my mind. At this moment, I'm fine with Kaoru being with Kyoya and I won't do anything I intervene. It looks like he's in capable hands, so I will simply focus on being a good king. These things are the least I can do for my brother who has been selfless all these years. For now, I will keep my feelings locked up.

After walking for some time, I found myself greeted by the pair I was looking for. Kousei came up to me then pinched my cheeks while Nekozawa watched in the sidelines. I didn't bother to stop or dodge his attacks, so I let him stretch my cheeks to its full potential.

"Hey, what was with that selfish act you did earlier? It's very rude to just leave someone when you're still having a conversation."

He continued to pinch my cheeks, but stopped when he noticed that I wasn't doing anything to stop him. When he pulled his hands away, I rubbed my cheek a little to ease the pinching feeling.

"I apologize. I just came back to tell you that I'm returning to the castle now. You can continue your time with your lover without me."

I turned to look at Nekozawa.

"It was nice meeting you. I'm glad Kousei is in good hands."

Nekozawa's lips twitched into a smile before he nodded his head at me.

"Same to you, your highness. I'll be looking forward to seeing a different spark in your eye when you're king."

I nodded my head then turned my back on the duo.

"Wait, Hikaru. What about the ring?"

His question made me pause in my tracks, but then I remembered the scene I just witnessed between Kyoya and Kaoru. My mind was made up.

"I have no need for it anymore."

After answering him, I continued walking back to the castle without stopping. I didn't let myself think twice on my decision, but kept my mind on the future ahead of me.

"Wait a minute. Hikaru? You can't be serious!"

I ignored his calls and let myself blend in with the crowd. My thoughts were no longer of Kaoru's wellbeing now that he had someone else to take care of him. Now, I just focused on the wedding and be mentally prepared for the future events I will experience by myself.

_"I will be the best king anyone has ever seen for you, Kaoru. So, please be happy for the two of us._"


	9. Chapter 9

_So, here is the short chapter I mentioned in the last chapter. I've been procrastinating on my school work and this is the result. Now I will go into hibernation. See you all in December. Ciao._

These past few days, I let Kaoru disappear to wherever he wants to. We still haven't spend time with each other, but I didn't mind that much anymore. I knew that he was in better hands. Most of the time, I would stay in the library talking to Kousei while reviewing the things that a king needs to know to rule a great kingdom. Since I had the determination to be the best the world's ever seen, I continued studying without many breaks.

Kaoru still kept his distance away from me which continued to hurt inside. Still, I ignored his missing presence and focused on what I'm doing for him. Doing this was the least I can do. Once I had the power and authority to change this kingdom, I will being able to make him happy. He was the most important person in my life, so I'll let him focus on his own happiness.

After what happened in the market, Kousei didn't ask why I left early or why I didn't pick up the ring. I was glad he didn't ask, but I kind of expected him not to say anything. Kousei seemed like the type of person to wait for someone to tell him rather than ask. Even when I suddenly had the interest to study again, he simply smiled then helped me with what I needed. I couldn't wait to appoint him as my advisor and get rid of all the other ones. That's the first thing I'm doing as king.

Today was the day of the wedding, and I was in my room letting some royal designers help me with my outfit. When I looked at myself in the mirror, I wanted to sigh at how white it was. The color was much too bright for my liking, but I tried not to complain. I liked the design, but the bright white color was burning my eyes if it was in the light. It also made it hard to see the fine detail in the clothing. Still, I didn't say anything. I knew that if I had nothing nice to say, it was better left not said.

In a few moments, I heard the door of my bedroom being open. I looked to the side and saw my brother walk in with a small smile. Kaoru looked stunning in his gold general outfit and white pants. When I looked at his hair, I noticed a thick strand sticking out to the side. I held back a soft chuckle knowing that he must have skipped combing his hair. He always did that as a kid.

Once I dismissed the designers he walked over to my side. He held my hand then looked into my eyes while I did the same to him. His eyes told me that he was happy to see me. I only hoped that he could see that in me as well.

"You ready?"

I opened my mouth to say something, then let out a chuckle instead of words. His bed hair up close looked comical up close. It was a bit difficult to talk one on one with him. Even so, I manage to say my response in an even tone.

"Not really to be honest."

When he ruffled my hair, my body instantly relaxed from his touch. I was going to miss this.

"Don't be nervous alright? Today is going to be the happiest day of your life, so show me a smile now."

A side of me wanted to tell him that it wasn't, and that the only way it would be the happiest day of my life is if he married me. But instead, I obeyed his order by giving him a bright smile. It wasn't as cheerful as I wanted it to be, but he accepted it either way.

"Remember though, I'll always be by your side, even when I'm truly gone."

I frowned when I heard him say that. It made me think that he was going to run away with Kyoya. That meant I would never see him again. If he was planning on doing that, then I wouldn't be able to stop him.

"You're leaving me?"

Kaoru shrugged his shoulders which only made me worry even more. It's as if he was disappearing right before my eyes and that if I reached out, all I would touch is air.

"We may never know what will turn up at the next minute. I'm just telling you now though to be strong no matter how hard things will be. You're going to be a great king someday."

I kept frowning since his response didn't make me feel any better. He pushed my lips into a smile with his own fingers.

"Do I need to tickle you a bunch now?"

"Maybe."

I actually wanted him to tickle me, only cause it would remind me of the times we used to had. A time where we were in our world, just the two of us. But now, my brother has left our world to be in another. Leaving me behind in the place we created together.

In response to my maybe, Kaoru chuckled at me then gently kissed my forehead.

"I'm sorry for making you worry just before your wedding. Just go out there and have fun, yes?"

His change of attitude made me chuckle. What made me really happy was the kiss he placed on my forehead. It surprised me at first, but I didn't care why he did it. I'm only glad that he did.

"I'll try."

"That's the spirit, now let's go. Your princess awaits."

He hooked his arm with mine then guided me out of the door and into the east garden where the maze was. Before I went to the alter, Kaoru wished me good luck then left me where I was. A small part of me wanted to go after him, but I bit my lip and stood their waiting for the princess.

A few minutes later, the trumpet roared, and all of the people present turned around to see Princess Haruhi dressed in white with her father walking her down the aisle. I smiled a little, but felt bad that her real lover isn't the one that's going to be marrying her right now. Still, she mentioned a few days ago that he was alright with the marriage since her heart only belong to him.

When Haruhi stood right by me, the priest started to give his long speech to bind us together in matrimony. As he continued talking on and on, I felt like leaving the alter to find Kaoru, but I kept reminding myself that this was for him. Even though I want him to be beside me and not a princess, his heart doesn't belong to me. I bit my lip and kept saying that I've already decided to let him be happy with Kyoya but my mind kept bugging me.

It seems that my mind and heart were still in turmoil, but there was nothing I can do now. I was already up on the stage, ready to say the words to unite our kingdoms by marriage. Kaoru probably wanted this for me anyway, so I will grant his wish and do what needs to be done.

"Prince Hikaru, do you take Princess Haruhi as your wife?"

"I do."

I said that without hesitation as I turned to Haruhi with a small smile. We both looked at each other for a moment and saw friendship and understanding swirling in her eyes. Even though we both don't want to do this, we our bound by duty to do what's best for the kingdom. I was also intent on becoming king for Kaoru's sake.

"Princess Haruhi, do you take Prince Hikaru as your husband?"

"I do."

"You may now kiss the bride."

I removed the veil from Haruhi's face then leaned into her face for our first and last kiss. When our lips were about to touch, I closed my eyes and imagine that it was Kaoru I was kissing and not Haruhi. That right now I was beside my brother, and nothing in the world could hurt us.

However, as soon as I opened my eyes, the crowd applauded and reality crashed in. I was now King of this kingdom, and a heavy burden had been placed on my shoulders. Everyone will now focus their attention to me as their new King and expect me to be a fine one. As much as I wanted to change this situation, I couldn't since this happened by my choice.


End file.
